I Come With My Own Background Music
by MissCar
Summary: One shots inspired by songs randomly selected by my MP3 player. This collection includes stories of love, friendship, and family. Pairings include C/S,TB/S,TB/TM,K/R,TB/R,G/JZ, and TB/G
1. Can I Have This Dance? Chadpay

Everybody knows about the iPod challenge, ten songs randomly selected by your MP3 player that you write a story about. I have always wanted to try it. However, I am doing it my way. If this goes well I may do more than 10. Almost every story will be primarily Chadpay or Troypay except for a few exceptions. The first story is Chadpay. The second one will be Troypay. After that, I am willing to take request. The updates for this will be sporadic. I Will probably only update when I have writer's block for one of my main stories.

The title for this story comes from one of Chad's crazy shirts in the first film.

Disclaimer: I do not own High School Musical or any of the songs from the film.

Title: Can I Have This Dance?

Summary: Chad and Sharpay attend the most uncomfortable wedding ever.

Pairing: Chadpay with mentions of past one sided Troypay and Taylor/Chad with an unfortunate smidge of Troy/Gabriella.

Inspired by: _Can I Have This Dance_ by Adam Anders and Nikki Hassman from the HSM3 soundtrack

Yes, for some odd reason my MP3 player decided to begin this exercise with a HSM song. Who says computers do not have a sense of humor.

**Warning: this story is not edited by a beta**

* * *

She stood outside on the balcony with Chad by her side, watching the happy couple have their first dance as Mr. and Mrs. Bolton-Montez. The whole thing confused Sharpay. She did not know if she wanted to throw up at the sight of the sickeningly sweet couple or cry into her champagne at the thought of losing Troy for good.

She did not know why she let Chad talk her into coming to this event. Even though Sharpay considers Troy to be a friend now, she did not want to see his happily ever after rubbed in her face. Especially, any happily ever after involving Gabriella Montez, Sharpay still could not stand the girl. The things one does for your friends can be quite surprising. Chad could not deal with being Best Man with his ex girlfriend as the Maid of Honor. Therefore, he begged Sharpay to be his date to the most uncomfortable wedding of the century.

The breakup between Chad and Taylor was beyond ugly. Taylor cheated on Chad for most of the first year of college with senior pre law student who shared her White House dream. Worst of all Taylor did not tell Chad about the other person. Instead, Chad found out about the affair via Taylor's Twitter account. She never apologized for her cruel behavior.

Chad dropped out of everything for a while after the breakup. The only person who he let comfort him was Sharpay. Now five years later, Chad was forced to interact with the woman who tore his heart in to little pieces and her now perfect husband. As his one of his good friends, she was going to protect him by any means necessary.

Sharpay did not know how it happened, however, at some point between high school graduation and this wedding nearly six years later Chad Danforth became her best friend. She helped him through the great Taylor break up of 2009, with junk Food and setting him up on dates with her sorority sisters. He helped her get over the loss of her Broadway dream by helping her find her new path in the world of education. She was there for him when he realized that the NBA was just not going to happen. He was there for her when she lost both her parents in that horrible blackberry triggered car accident two years ago. They were there for each other when they were brand new teachers at West High the year before. Even if it made her extremely uncomfortable to watch the object of her high school affections marry someone else, she would be there for Chad now.

"I can't believe they chose the song from our prom as the song for their first dance. That is the tackiest thing I have ever seen at a wedding. Taylor should have prevented this from happening." Sharpay said as she took another drink of her champagne.

"The two of them sing this song together on Troy's new album. I think it's cute." Chad answered Sharpay as he placed his glass on a nearby table.

"That just makes it even tackier. We all know that their famous. They don't need to show it off." Sharpay said bitterly as she took another drink of her champagne.

"You use to love doing that to everyone." Chad pointed out with a smile.

"Yes, but that's when I had money and was not just lowly school teacher." Sharpay said sarcastically.

"You still have a greater net worth then the two of them combine. You live in a mansion in the most affluent suburb in Albuquerque. You have two Lexus and three BMWs. Sharpay, you teach high school drama because you love teaching. On the other hand, I teach high school English and coached the girls' basketball team to pay the bills. I do not even own a car and I live in your servants' quarters. "

"You teach because you want to and you love it. You live with me because you know I would hate being by myself and I love you anyway because of it. You do not live in the servants' quarters you have the room next to mine. However, it does not matter because half the time you end up falling asleep in my bed anyway. You don't have a car because you have way too much fun driving my collection." Sharpay answered taking the final drink from her glass.

"Dance with me? I know you are just as board as I am. I want to have some fun." Chad asked her out of nowhere.

"You want to dance with me as a cure for boredom? So not happening. Besides this dance is just for the happy couple." Sharpay said that last bit with her classic sarcasm.

"We're all alone out here. No one is going to see as stealing the spotlight. Although, maybe you want to steal the spotlight, I know you hated when other people are the center of attention."

"No" Sharpay said in her no nonsense manner.

"Come on Sharpay. I am tired of watching my ex girlfriend get molest by her significant other. I need a distraction. Can I have this dance?" He said with a smile as he extended his arm to her.

"Okay, since you asked so nicely. I have the lead. If you step on my brand new shoes, I will hurt you. Do not even think about dropping me." Sharpay said as she placing her empty champagne glass on the table and follow Chad to their makeshift dance floor."

"I promise I will not drop you. Besides, you know I will always catch you anyway. You can trust me Sharpay. I would never hurt you." Chad said, as he looked her directly in the eyes.

"I know. Other than the nausea caused by too many sickeningly sweet couples, how are you holding up after being with Taylor for the first time after the great breakup of 2009?"

"It only hurt because she never apologized for her actions. This entire experience is uncomfortable; however, I can deal with it. I stop loving her a long time ago. What about you and the whole Troy marrying someone else thing? I know you did not want to come here. I know you are only at the wedding because of me. Thank you for being my best friend." He said pulling her just a little bit closer to him as they continued to move around the balcony.

"I thought Troy was your best friend?" Sharpay said as they continued to dance.

"At some point I think you took over his move spot. Answer my question Sharpay. Are you okay?" Chad said as he spun her around the balcony.

"I'm okay. The situation still hurts; however, it is not the type of pain you experience with Taylor. It did not feel like breaking up with Zeke or Damien from college. This situation felt like when I realized I was not going to be on Broadway and Ryan was. I had this dream for so long and now it is dead. I am not upset about Troy marrying Gabriella. I am just scared. What if I never find the love of my life? What if I never find the type of person that this song is describing?" Tears were starting to fall from her eyes but Chad quickly wiped them away. "I came here for you and I'm the one crying." Even though she was crying now they continued to dance.

"It is okay, no matter what happens or how far you and I are from each other we will always be together. I will always be there for you. Who knows maybe you already found that one in a million love. What if that person has been by your side your entire life? Maybe we're just too blind to see that individual as the one person we are to be with for the rest of our lives."

Normally she would say no to his silly notion. However, after looking into his eyes she wondered if he was talking about more than the hypothetical. "Maybe you're right." She responded in a quiet voice.

"This does not matter now. Everything will be okay after this wedding is over. Weddings make everybody lonely." Chad said as he went to kisser on the forehead like he normally did.

Sharpay did not understand what possessed her to tilt her head up so instead of her forehead Chad kissed her on the lips. When his lips met hers, it felt as if she was struck by lightning. In that, second the world finally made sense. She finally understood everything. His kiss was soft and very tentative but her heart was racing 1000 beats a second. Sharpay never felt more loved in her entire life. She was not sure if the kiss last for seconds or an eternity. When they broke apart, Chad was looking at her in complete shock. However, they did not stop dancing.

"It's you," Sharpay finally said in a whisper as she touched her hand to her lips

"What?" Chad asked in surprised.

"No matter what happens, you're always going to be there for me. Even if it all falls apart, you will be there. Even if you move to the other side of the world, you will still be there for me. I just realize that it is you. You are the one that I have been in love with for so long. You are the person move this song is describing. It's you." She knew she was babbling uncontrollably at this point, but she did not care. She needed to tell him everything.

"Sharpay," he said in a breathy whisper in an attempt to stop her rambling.

"You do not have to say anything. Just dance with me. Just let me have this moment before…"He pressed his fingers to her lips to silence her

"I love you too." Before she could even react, his mouth was on hers and she knew that she finally found that one in a million love. Even though it started pouring out here on the balcony she stayed out there dancing with her best friend and love for life Chad Danforth.


	2. Dirty Sharpay troypay

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last one shot or put the story on alert.

Rating: hard T for sexual situations

Title: Dirty Sharpay

Inspired by Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson

Summary: Superstar Troy and fan girl Sharpay

Pairings: Troy/Sharpay with mentions of Chad/ Sharpay and Gabriella/Troy

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except my imagination

This was supposed to be a one shot, but I divided the story into two parts. If I get any reviews, I will post the second part tomorrow. Otherwise, I may wait awhile.

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Part one: Dirty Sharpay

As he stared at the blond woman lying on the bed next to him, he wonders how he got himself in this position again. It was the eighth time in four years. He was not normally the type of person who took random fans back to his hotel room. With her, it was different. She could always seduce him whit her black lace covered body and sexy words. Her voice was husky as she whispered all the wicked things she would do to him when they were alone. Her kisses were intoxicating and hot to the touch. He is positive he became addicted to his number one fan.

However, can a girl he went to high school with be considered a random fan? Maybe she was just a random fan because he knew nothing about her anymore other than her favorite perfume and the type of clothing she liked to wear. They never talked during their times together.

Every time he was in L.A. to perform or something like that she would be there waiting for him. A few words and a couple of heated kisses was all it took for him to find himself on top of her in some random hotel room. Of course, they did not always make it back to his hotel. The first incident was in the elevator at the recording studio where he was recorded his second album. Last time when he was in LA, they ended up together in his dressing room.

He remembers their last encounter before this afternoon's incident so vividly. He just performed for a sold out crowd at the Staple Center. He felt that Post show almost orgasmic rush after that performance as he always did. He saw her in the backstage area dress in a form fitting black dress and with matching Jimmy Choo. She was sensual, not trashy like the other girls who hung around the backstage and outside the doors trying to get with him. Within a few minutes, he made some excuse to take her back to his dressing room.

Before the door was even close, her mouth was on his. She could do things with her tongue that made him lose all common sense. Her dress was quickly on the floor followed by his shirt and pants. They were in such a hurry that he was sure a few buttons were lost to their passion. He saw her standing in black lace again and he wanted nothing more than to rip the offending garment from her beautiful body. Then he saw a picture of his wife Gabriella causing him to stopped and thought about the consequences of this action. He was about to cheat on his wife again with former high school ice queen and current celebrity chaser Sharpay Evans.

"I can't do this," Troy says as he pushes away from her.

"This is not the first time." Sharpay said as she places her body on his again. Her presence was overwhelming and very tempting. He needed to be strong. Then he reminded himself of a conversation that he had recently with his best friend.

"I'm not the only person you do this with." He was referring to her recent encounter with his NBA playing best friend.

"I don't make a habit of staking out the Staple center to sleep with random musicians. I have taste and common sense."

"You do on the nights of Lakers home games. Although I am guessing, you prefer random basketball players. "

"What are you talking about?" Sharpay said trying to kiss him again, but he pushed her back.

"I'm talking about Chad and your celebrity fetish. Do you think if you sleep with enough famous people you'll become famous?" That made her mad enough to get off him completely and go for her dress.

"Who needs fame when you're the CEO of one of the largest hospitality corporations in the country? It is not exactly easy to meet people when you are running a company. However, I do not sleep with random people. Besides Chad is a friend."

"Yes, a friend that you occasionally sleep with."

"So Chad Knowles where we stand and where I am tonight. How about your wife, does she know that you are fooling around with girls backstage. I cannot be the only one. I am just your LA conquest. I do not care. I want this to go too far. I want to be with you. I want you in me. I want to hear you scream my name at the height of pleasure." She kissed him again. It was pure fire. The rest of his self-control was gone.

Later she was sleeping peacefully in his arms, tired out from their previous activities. His body was covered the scratches and bite marks from their sexual encounter. He had no idea how he was going to keep this from his wife when he saw her in a few days. He looked that the photographs of his wife again and started to feel guilty. He grabbed his phone from the side of the couch where it fell. He needed to call Gabby. He quickly pressed her number into the phone. Because it was so late in the day, the call went straight to voicemail.

"Sorry I forgot to call earlier. I got distracted when I ran into an old friend from high school." At least that was not a complete lie. Sharpay was an old friend from high school and they definitely got distracted. Before he could finish his excuses, Sharpay grabbed the phone from his hands.

"Your husband was very distracted with an old friend or rather enemy. But don't worry he is safe in my bed." Fortunately, he was able to press seven to erase the message before Sharpay ended the call.

"Why did you do that?"

"Because I believe in honesty. It's better for Gabby to know you are sleeping around with half of the Troy Bolton fan club instead of thinking everything is wonderful. Deception hurts more than anything else does. Do you want to come home with me tonight? Chad is at an away game. I hate being by myself." Sharpay asked as got up from him and grabbing her dress from the floor.

"I don't think that such a good idea," he said as he put a shirt back on. "This was fun, however, I have to be somewhere in an hour." That was a lie but apparently, Sharpay believed it.

"Wherever, I will see you next time you're in town."

That was a year ago. The encountered was time was different. He expected her to jump him his first day back in Los Angeles to recorded his new album. Instead, she called his assistant to schedule a time meet with him two weeks later. It made sense because Evans hotels were a corporate sponsor of his upcoming tour. She showed up to his hotel room wearing a designer business suit and sensible shoes. She looked different from last time. Her body seemed softer and he was sure she gained a little weight. This is okay with him, because she was always too skinny. When she pulled out a briefcase, he realized this really was a business meeting.

"Troy we need to talk."

"You usually hated talking when we were together."

"Things change. This is not a social call. We really need to talk about a few things."

"Yes things really do change." He said as he pulled her close to him and placed his lips upon hers. That is how he found himself in bed with Sharpay Evans again. The encounter felt completely different this time and he was to confuse to stay with her and talk. It was not just sex this time and he was not ready for the consequences of that. It was too sweet and gentle to be just sex. Before she could wake up, he got dressed and quietly left the room leaving her alone.

It took him two days to figure out he loved her and that she was more than just his sex toy. After bribing her assistant with a pound of expensive chocolate, he finally had her private cell phone number. It took them an hour to get up the courage to call her.

"Hello Sharpay. It's Troy"

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To be continued in Part 2: Diana's Revenge


	3. Diana’s Revenge: Sharpay?

Thank you to everyone who reviewed Part 1 or put this story on alert.

Title: Dirty Sharpay Part 2: Diana's Revenge

Inspired by Dirty Diana by Michael Jackson

Summary: The consequences of stupidity

Pairings: Troy/Sharpay and Chad/ Sharpay

This is Part 2. When writing this story I felt the need to give the Dianes of the world their own voice.

Rating: T for breastfeeding?

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Part 2: Diana's Revenge

Sharpay woke up when she heard the room door close. He left her again without a word. She didn't know why she thought she could talk to him in his hotel room alone. It would have been better to meet in a public place so she wouldn't end up in his bed again. All Troy Bolton had to do was look at her and she was his. No matter how hard she tried not to be.

However, telling a guy that he got you pregnant last year was not the conversation you want to have at a casual business lunch. She would try again later before he finished recording his current album. Although this time, she would bring Chad. He could always keep her grounded in reality.

She quickly got dressed and walked down to her car, hoping that none of her staff would witness her walk of shame. She felt stupid and dirty for giving into him again. On the way home, she heard an old Michael Jackson song on the radio and began to cry. As she listened to the words, she wondered how she could trick herself into believing that Troy Bolton could ever love her.

As she walked inside her Malibu mansion she saw Chad feeding baby Jackie in the living room. Chad instantly saw her mascara stain cheeks. Trust her best friend/sometimes boyfriend since college to see that something wasn't quite right.

"How badly did the meeting go?"

"Badly, very very badly!" Sharpay said as she sat next to him on the couch.

"I think you rather have the real thing then the formula that daddy gives you." Sharpay said as she began to unbutton her blouse. Even though Troy was Jackie's biological father, Chad was Jackie's daddy. He was there from the panic phone call when Sharpay realize she forgot to use a condom during her last encounter with Troy, to the delivery room when she went into labor eight weeks prematurely. He did midnight ice cream runs and everything else to make her happy. He helped her hide the pregnancy and the baby's paternity from the media. He loved Jackie like the daughter that he could never have because of circumstances beyond his control. This was a shamed because he was a fabulous dad.

"Did he completely reject you and Jackie?" Chad asked handing the baby over to Sharpay to feed.

"I didn't have a chance to tell him. What happened was so much worse." Sharpay said as she began to cry.

"What happened?" Chad asked as he wiped the tears away from her cheek.

"He kissed me again and…"

"Sharpay I thought you said you would stop doing that to yourself. You know he is married to Gabriella. I love you too much to let you keep putting yourself in this stupid situation. "

"I know, I know. I have a Troy Bolton addiction. I just thought when he kissed me this time he wanted me to be more than his dirty little secret. I thought maybe, just maybe Troy would love me too. I realize I'm just His Dirty Sharpay. He is never going to love me."

"What does Dirty Sharpay mean?"

"Do you remember that old Michael Jackson song _Dirty Diana? _About naughty fan girls seducing pop stars song was playing on the radio while I was driving home. I realize that Troy only sees me as the character in that song. To him I am just another one of his fan girls that throws her panties at him. I'm just a release to him, not a person. I always thought if I threw myself at him then surely he would love me. He didn't notice anything different about me, I'm an entire cup size bigger than last year. He didn't even realize I was wearing a nursing bra. I'm just his little plaything. " Sharpay said as she began to cry more openly.

"In all fairness, I didn't know what one looked like until you took me to that baby boutique that makes the sexiest nursing bra in America." If she wasn't feeding their child she would have smacked him. At least he made her stop crying.

"I will have my assistant, call his assistant to schedule another meeting. I need to tell him about Jackie. This time you are going with me."

"Do I get to watch when you throw yourself at him this time?"

"You know the only thing that saving you is Jackie right now?"

"Basically, yes."

"I have to call the lawyers as well."

"I thought you were going to wait until you tell him about the baby to have the lawyer's work on the custody papers."

"I want them to work on adoption papers. I am not going to use Jackie as my mom used Ryan and me to keep my father. You are Jackie's dad, not him. As far as I am concern, he was the sperm donor. You have been with me through the crazy pregnancy hormones and midnight feedings. You were with me when I actually took the pregnancy test. I want you to be with us forever, if you still want to after today screw up." Before she even finish her sentence he placed a gentle kiss on her lips and a second one on baby Jackie's forehead.

"I still want to be with both you and Jackie. Although I do have a couple of conditions if we're going to make this work." He said grinning at her.

"I'm listening."

Two days later Troy called her up to ask her if she would come back to his hotel to talk. She twisted her new engagement ring around her finger as she told him she was done being his Dirty Sharpay. He calls the next day and says that he is in love with her. She asks him if he was divorcing Gabby. He doesn't say a word and Sharpay hangs up the phone. The next day Chad calls his oldest friend to invite him for drinks and to meet his new fiancée.

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A/N: You know what they say "timing is everything". There will be a sequel to this later on. Is Sharpay really done with Troy? Did "I love you" come too late?


	4. Maybe I just want you: S&T, S&C

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last story. For everybody who is interested in what happens next there will eventually be a sequel to the _Dirty Sharpay_ series. Unfortunately, due to the rules of this exercise, I can write it until the perfect song comes up randomly. This story is in a completely different universe than the last story.

Title: Maybe I Just Want You

Summary: Sharpay Evans-Bolton has everything she wanted. Eventually she realizes that having it _all_ is overrated.

Rating: hard T for violence

Warning: Chaacter Death

Pairings: Troy/Sharpay, Chad/Sharpay, and implied Troy/other

Inspired by: I Want It All off the HSM3 soundtrack

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From the outside, Sharpay Evans-Bolton had everything she ever wanted from when she was in high school. She was a famous actor of stage and film with two Oscars, three Tony's, four Golden Globes, and six MTV movie awards. She had homes in Beverly Hills, Monaco, Tokyo, and Manhattan. She was married to the person she was in love with through all of high school and half of junior high. She had millions of adoring fans who would pay to see her read the phone book. The icing on the cake was that Gabriella Montez-Caraballo worked for her.

Of course, life was not like her high school fantasy. Gabby functioned as Sharpay's cut through lawyer not as her slave. Sharpay always suspected Gabriella was not as sweet as she appeared on the outside. It turned out she was right, Gabriella was absolutely vicious at the negotiating table.

Sure Sharpay won tons of awards, but not the way she wanted to. Both of her Oscar awards were for best original song in a film and four of her MTV movie awards were for best kiss. Half the time people just saw her as some blonde idiot. The media saw her as Paris Hilton with more acting skills, but just barely. She had tabloid journalists digging through her trashcans and following her everywhere. She and no privacy whatsoever.

Her adoring husband love her more like a brother there a lover and was essentially using her as his cover. Because as Lance Bass would tell you, what self respecting fan girl would throw her panties on stage if they knew that pop megastar Troy Bolton was definitely not a ladies' man. She couldn't even think of the person that her husband preferred, it just hurt too much. However, because she loved him as her best friend if nothing else they stayed married.

In addition, in her high school fantasies, Sharpay didn't have fans who sent death threats and dead blood covered roses. After receiving the second bouquet of dead flowers drenched in animal blood, Gabby, Troy and Ryan had her on the first plane back to New Mexico. The three were absolutely petrified because of the note attached to the flowers described what the sick fan wanted to do to her sexually before he her murder in such a revolting way that she couldn't even repeated it in her mind.

It wasn't that she didn't love her old hometown. It was one of the few places where the press didn't follow her everywhere. People respected her here and left her alone. It was just that they were forcing her to stay with Chad Danforth.

The man drove her crazy in high school and college. Sure, he was a top detective with the Albuquerque PD and was an expert in many different forms of martial arts. He was an excellent shot and knew how to kill somebody without very little effort. They could have hired someone with his skill level to protect her in New York and she could continue working. No instead, they decide to hide her in the middle of nowhere surrounded by bodyguards, police, and her husband and brothers overprotective childhood friend.

For the first day she threw a tantrum when she found out she couldn't even leave her hotel room to go shopping until they found the person trying to kill her or they decided he was no longer a threat. Essentially, she was on house arrest for the duration. She didn't even bother talking to Chad except when she had to. She blamed him for her exile.

On the second day, she read scripts from movies that she would probably not be able to do. At least it gave her something to do, because Chad was essentially ignoring her that day. After several hours of reading, she concluded that she could write better than 90% of the scripts she read that day. In almost every script, she was asked to play the same role.

On the third day, she decided it would be in her best interests to talk to the person who was protecting her. Unfortunately, she made the mistake of asking him about his college girlfriend and former fiancée Candy. Apparently, she left him because he joined the police force after college. After that very short conversation, she decided to go over to fan fiction world the and see what her fans were doing to the various characters she has played over the years. She used to love reading and writing on that site in college. It was very disconcerting for her to find out that everyone sees her as a shallow bitch and a essentially like to write stories about you dying in the most vicious way possible. That night she cried herself to sleep.

On the fourth day, she decided to grab her handy dandy laptop and actually work on a script. She always wanted to write a play or film. This activity keeps her from going stir crazy for the next few days. The police have no leads on the person sending her the packages.

On the fifth day, a third package of blood-covered flowers was sent to her L.A home. This time there was no note, instead there I was just a computer-generated picture of her mutilated body. Chad did not teller about this. Instead she found out about it on one of her fan sites that somehow managed to hack into the police report. Chad was absolutely furious about the breach of security in the case.

On the six day, Chad found her crying as she read the web site. He held onto her as she cried. After that he stayed with her and watched one of her favorite movies. On the seventh day, they actually have a conversation without yelling or screaming. She was starting to see that maybe it was a good thing that Troy, Ryan and Gabriella were forcing her to stay with Chad. Being with him was definitely keeping her mind off of the moron trying to kill her.

On the eighth day of her forced imprisonment, she decides to let Chad read the first draft of her crazy script. The story is about a Hollywood starlet who finds out her husband was in love with her brother and discovers her entire fantasy life was just a big lie when her life is threatened by a debilitating disease. He asks her what inspires her to write such a story. She lies and tells him it was just something that came to her one day. She knows, he knows that she is lying. She tells herself it is because he is her husband's best friend, he probably knows more about her marriage then she does.

On the ninth day, everything goes to hell. At 5:30 AM a fourth package of dead blood-covered flowers are found on the front steps of her mother's house here in Albuquerque. Sharpay is just happy that one of the servants discovered the package and not her mom. At 6:30 AM a fifth package arrives at the hotel where she is staying. Instead of the usual package of dead blood covered roses, there is a marzipan breast with the words "not as good as the real thing" written in blood. The police later identified that the blood is human this time instead of animal. She begins to think that her stalker has seen the film _Nobel Son_ too many times.

By seven, the situation becomes critical when the body of a girl who looks a lot like Sharpay is discovered a block away from where she is hiding. For the sake of propriety and to keep herself from throwing up again she won't think about the gruesome details. Chad tries to hide it from her but eventually he tells her the whole truth. He holds her head back as she empties the contents of her stomach in the nearest restroom.

That day for the first time, Chad finally tells her the truth of the entire situation. It turns out that the dead blood covered roses were not the first sign of this nut job. Her stalker has been sending her threatening letters and marzipan body parts for months. Only in the last two weeks has the person escalated to the blood covered presents and dead bodies. By 8:00 AM she is being rushed out of the hotel in disguise as Chad holds onto her for dear life. She is under too much stress to think about how good it feels for him to hold her hand.

4 hours later there at some undisclosed location in the middle of the desert. On the car ride there, Chad tries to keep her mind off the psychopath trying to kill her by talking about all the silly stuff they used to do in high school. She admits to him that she had a crush on him in college, but was too afraid of Candy to try anything. He kisses her on the cheek and tells her that he wish she would have tried.

The situation is so critical now that Chad stays in the same room as her, at all times. There are also two other officers staying outside the door at all times. At least with Chad there, she can pretend she is hanging out with an old friend instead of her being guarded at all times. The first night he sleeps next to her in an uncomfortable chair.

On the 10th day in captivity, she tries to work on her writing again. This time she is working on a script about a bunch of kids in high school that starts singing and dancing in the middle of the cafeteria for no good reason. She gets in two good hours of writing before she becomes too edgy to write again. It feels like she is just waiting for this bastard to come and kill her. The only thing keeping her sane is Chad. It felt good to have someone to talk to other then her therapist.

Chad comes up with this crazy Ideal for the two of them to play a game of truth or dare. By the end of the game, she knew that Chad really did know all about the real status of her marriage. In addition, she learned that after a year at Yale, Taylor dropped out to became a commercial airline pilot. Also, Chad's college girlfriend broke off their engagement not just because of his job but because he didn't go to the NBA. Most surprisingly, he had a crush on her in high school and college. Apparently, he told Troy in high school to stay away from her because he wanted to be with her. If only she knew that back then. She told him about how miserable she was being famous and how she wished she became a schoolteacher instead of an actress. He dares her to kiss him and she does. It is the most powerful and intends kiss she has ever experienced in her life. She wants to do it again, but does not dare.

Instead, they watch the complete fifth season of ugly Betty on DVD. She makes comments about how they kept putting Betty the wrong guy for most of the series. Chad calls Betty an idiot for holding on to the fictional ideal of Henry for so long. His comment makes her think about her fictional ideals she used to have about Troy. They also talked about how Wilhelmina was way too vilified in the series.

When Chad goes to sleep in the chair again that night, she pulls him in into her bed instead. All they do is sleep. However, it was the first full night of sleep she has had since this ordeal had begun. In his arms despite everything, she felt safe and love.

On the 11th day, blood covered baked goods in the shape of various body parts start showing up at her various house. Even Ryan receives a nasty blood covered baked good appendage. On the 12th day, shots are fired on her mother's houses. Fortunately, after the blood covered roses incident almost a week earlier, the police and her father forced Darby to go on a overseas vacation. Chad was trying to keep her distracted by playing board games with her, but it wasn't working. Instead he helps her work on her script again. Writing with him is the only thing that is keeping her somewhat distracted.

By Day 13 of her force captivity, she was convinced that this bastard was going to kill her. If she was going to die, than she was not going to have any regrets. She finally gave in and kissed him again. She knew that by being with him, she was technically cheating on her husband. She did not care. In the 13 days that she was trapped with Chad, she fell in love with him.

The next day was the worst day of her life. It started out good with her waking up in Chad's arms. Then man then had been stocking her for months had finally found her. It turned out to be her ex boyfriend from high school Zeke Baylor. The officers guarding her on the outside of the room were on the floor bleeding. She was sure that at least one was dead. After another shot from his gun, Chad was laying on the floor bleeding. Before she could even think, she grabbed the heavy glass vase on the table and hit Zeke with it. She heard the a sickening snapped as he went into the wall. She quickly grabbed the gun from the floor where it fell.

Apparently, everyone forgot about her five years of martial arts training or those weaks she had spent studying with the Special Forces for a film role. With gun in hand, she quickly checked his pulse. The person who scared her for so long was dead. She didn't have enough time to feel guilty about taking a human life or relieved at his death. She ran to Chad hoping that he was okay. His breath was shallow and labored. Before he lost consciousness, he told her the words she wanted to hear the most "I love you."

Sharpay Evans was not a religious person. It was not that she didn't believe in God, it was just the only thing that was worshipped in the Evans household was money and power. The only thing money and power ever gave Sharpay was this current situation. So for the first time ever, though she didn't know how, she prayed to God. She promised to leave everything behind the money, the power and the fame. She cried out to the heavens "I don't want it all anymore, I just want him."

Troy, Ryan, and Gabriella stayed with her in the hospital waiting room as they waited for word on his condition. Apparently, they have been in the Albuquerque area for the last 14 days even though no one told her. She stood in the room covered in Chad's blood, to out of it to think of changing. In the hallway, she confesses to Troy that she fell in love with someone else. He instantly knows whom she is talking about. He promises to have the divorce papers ready in a few days. He tells her that he sorry he could not love her, as he should have. He was happy that she found happiness with the one person he trusted the most.

Two days later when Chad wakes up from his chemical induced coma she quickly tells him how much he loves him. The media followed her everywhere she went for the next couple of months as she finishes up the last of her contractual obligations. They could not get enough of the celebrity going crazy after being almost killed. They blamed her for the end of America's favorite couple, saying the divorce was some sort symptom of Posttraumatic Stress Syndrome. If they only knew the truth.

Sharpay didn't care about me anymore. She was going to make good on her promise to God and leave Hollywood behind. She had enough money stored away from her investments and royalties to live comfortably for the rest of her life. She was going to buy a nice house in New Mexico and live happily ever after with the love of her life. However, her fiancé decided to send her screenplay that she wrote during her captivity to her former agent.

Two years later a very pregnant Sharpay stood up on stage accepting the Oscar for best original screenplay for "I Want It All". She laughs at the fact that she wins in the wrong category because this screenplay was adapted from the life of Sharpay Evans. Nobody knew that though. Everybody thinks this brilliant work came from the mine of S.E. Danforth. No one knew that the brown headed woman in front of them was the same actress that they mock years earlier. Troy also wins an Oscar that night for playing the role of the closeted celebrity husband in the film. Most people thought it was an ironic casting choice. If only they knew.

Sharpay was happy with her life in New Mexico. She may not have it all anymore as she did in the past. However, she had exactly what she wanted; a loving husband and soon they will have their very first child. She had two more scripts in production and was currently working on another project. Best of all she could do all this from a home in Albuquerque. Maybe having it _all_ is overrated.

During her Oscar acceptance speech, she thanks her first high school boyfriend for showing her the folly of her ways and for putting her on the path to her true love. Only the three people at her table and her lawyer knew exactly what she meant.

* * *

A/N: In this story, I decided to explore the content of the song by giving Sharpay exactly what she wanted. Almost every concept in this story is a twist on something mentioned in the song or from sequent in the film. I did take a few creative liberties. Also, am I the only one who find it creepy that Zeke keeps following Sharpay around in the films? Doesn't he seem a bit like a stalker?


	5. Dear Troy Bolton S&T or C&S

* * *

Thank you to everyone who read the last Story or added this collection to your favorites or alerts. Writing the last story definitely took me out of my comfort zone. I'm also going to be experimenting with a different writing style a lot.

A couple weeks ago, when I started writing these one shots kyw0202 asked me to develop the back-story for _Can I Have This Dance_. One when I started writing this story I realized how easy it would be for this to take place in the same universe. This story is the prequel to _Can I Have This Dance_. I dedicate this tokyw0202 for giving me the idea to do more in this universe.

Title: Dear Troy Bolton

Summary: How do you get over being in love with someone you never had to begin with? Thirty-nine emails Sharpay never sent Troy Bolton.

Pairing: one sided Troy/Sharpay (that changes over time), Sharpay/other, pre-Chadpay, Troy/Gabriella, Gabriella/ other (I want this one to be a surprise), Chad/Taylor

Inspired by: Just Want You to Know by the Backstreet Boys

_I just want you to know that I've been fighting to let you go  
Some days I make it through and then there's nights that never end  
I wish that I could believe that there's a day you'll come back to me  
But still I have to say I would do it all again  
Just want you to know_

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story that is recognizable. All properties belong to their original creators.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 08/23/2008 21:23:45

I have no idea why I am writing this. My therapist said that the only way I will get over you is to actual talk to you. I just don't feel like calling you right now and hear you talk about how much you love little miss perfect. Instead I'm going to write you these emails. There is a good chance that I probably will never send any of them. However, at lease this way I will get my thoughts on paper.

A couple of days ago when I was packing up to move into the dorms, I found this picture from when we first met in junior high. We were so young back then. When you smiled at me for the first that day, I think I fell in love with you.

It's so hard being without you now. I don't even miss Zeke that much anymore. It hurt when I broke up with him in June, but not anymore. You are the person I miss the most.

Today was the first day of classes at the University of Albuquerque. It was so weird not being in class with you or seen you with Chad everywhere. You and I have had class together every year since my family moved to New Mexico seven years ago.

I miss you Troy

Just thought you should know

* * *

From: EvansSA AofU .edu

To:TB206100

Time saved: 9/2/2008 00:3:23

Today was the big Labor Day extravaganza at Lava springs. It felt strange without Ryan or you there this time. We all had so much fun last year just hanging out. Unfortunately, you spent half the time making out with the FMG. Seriously what do you see in her? She is so sickeningly sweet she could put someone in a diabetic coma. No one can actually be that sweet. She must be hiding something. Also, I am so much prettier than her.

Anyway, I spent the whole thing alone except for Chad who spoke to me probably out of pity or boredom. Of the group, he is the only one going with me to A of U. Everyone else is going to college out of state or attending the University of New Mexico. Chad and I have English and history together this semester. Which is a small miracle considering how many different sessions that are of those two classes.

Anyway, I miss you.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 9/05/2008 19:23:27

I really am trying to get over you Troy. Today was a good day. I did not mention your name once today. Not even when Chad and I were worked on our group of English project together. I stopped writing Sharpay Bolton in my notebooks when I get bored during my classes. In addition, I can now speak to other girl's name Gabriella without cringing. I am actually staring to make new friends. Chad is making me go to a club tonight. I think Ryan is paying him to baby sit me.

I wish you were here Troy

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 9/16/2008 21:36:42

Today was not a good day. I ran into your dad today when I was volunteering at EHS. It was bound to happen eventually, he does still work there. He reminds me so much of you and I just can't stop thinking about how much I miss you.

Wish you were still hear and not chasing after the FMG

I just thought you should know

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 9/24/2008 17:35:34

I absolutely hate you. You were the one who told Jimmy that I had a crush on him. Do you know what he did today while I was working at East High this afternoon? He grabbed my breast while I was helping him with a scene in the play. He has detention for the next week and he can't play in the first basketball game of the season. I just love your dad for that.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 10/15/2008 22:34:13

Did I ever tell you how much I hate exams? College exams are the worst of all. Why is the majority of your academic performance determined by how you perform on two exams? I spent half the night in the library studying with Chad for our English exam. Unfortunately, he spent half the night exchanging text messages with you. It is not as if I really mind. Surprisingly enough literature is Chad's best subject. He has been helping me a lot in the class. Too bad, he is majoring in physical education instead of English.

I just, wish you would send me a message every once the while. You haven't called and wrote me at all since you left for Berkeley and she who will not be named. I know that you never love to me like I loved you, but I thought we were at least friends. I cannot blame you completely because I have not sent one of these messages to you yet.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 10/24/2008 18:36:21

I'm dating other people now. Two nights ago, I went on a date with David from my 20th century USA history class. Even though he did not take me to the most expensive restaurant, the date was still fun. I am supposed to go on a date with him tonight. Although a part of me wish is the date was with you. I don't think anybody will ever take your place in my heart.

Anyway, I just thought you should know.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TB206100

Time saved: 10/25/2008 01:24:11

I hate all men at the moment. Apparently David only when out with me to prove that he could sleep with the ice queen. Don't worry, there's a good chance that David won't be able to have children after I kicked him in his special place.

I miss you so much right now. You never tried to take advantage of me. You never used me as revenge on Gabriella when the two of you broke up every other week during the first half of senior year. You always treated me as a person. I like to thank you for that.

Anyway, I just thought you should know

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 10/27/2008 18:44:12

Did I ever tell you that Chad is my new best friend. He beat up my evil date for me. Isn't that great? He also stayed up with me eating cookie dough ice cream. This is something that I usually did with Ryan. I'm still convince Ryan is paying Chad to baby sit me. Anyway, I think I know why you guys were such great friends for so long. I know Is it wrong, but when I'm with him, I think a lot more about you.

Anyway, I just thought you should know

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 11/10/2008 18:44:12

I overheard you talking to Chad last night about how much you loved Gabriella. Inside my mind, I always knew, but I did not know. As long as I never heard the words, I could pretend that maybe I had a chance. I never had a chance. Did you ever see me as more then the ice princess drama queen of East High? Could you have loved to me if she never came to New Mexico? Can anyone ever love me? Sometimes I wonder if I'm incapable of being loved.

Other than crying about you being in love with the FMG I have been having fun. I even pledged a sorority although not a traditional one I am not telling you which sorority.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 11/27/2008 18:44:12

I will never do Thanksgiving at the Danforth's ever again. Chad spent the entire time complaining because Taylor decided to spend thanksgiving with a friend's from school. Unfortunately, that friend was another guy. Adding to Chad sadness was the fact that you decided to go with Gabriella to see her mom in Alexandria. All I can say is Chad family is crazy. Although, it beats a Lava Springs Thanksgiving with my parents. I will deftly never do that again.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 12/31/2008 23:44:12

Tonight is the second anniversary of me losing you to that Montez girl. According to Chad who thinks he knows everything, you fell hopelessly in love with the FMG over force karaoke. So tonight, I sit here with blackberry in hand, at one of my parents hotels at the annual New Year's Eve party drinking my way through a bottle of champagne. I do not even have Chad to hang out with because he is currently sticking his tongue down Taylor's throat. Did I mention how much I do not like that girl. She's just slightly less annoying then that girl you're sleeping with. Seriously, that must be the only reason why you are with her. Just remember sex does not equal love. So happy anniversary, I hope she chokes on her champagne.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 1/ 5/2009 18:44:12

Today was the beginning of a brand new semester. The good news, I actually have acting classes this semester. The bad news is you are not here. It still hurts but I am starting to get used to it. At least I still have chemistry with Chad this semester.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 2/7/2009 1:44:12

Tonight was the night we have all been waiting for. For the first time ever, you and Chad played against each other on different teams. It was a great game especially because we won. I love you, but when it comes to basketball and my school, I will always be cheering for Chad. He is my best friend.

Anyway, I cannot believe Gabriella came, she knows nothing about basketball whatsoever. Okay so neither did I until Chad spent 3 hours explaining all the basics to me, but I still know more about the game than she does. Also, she was dressed like a slut. In addition, did you noticed that she never made eye contact with Chad. It was almost like she was hiding something from him. I don't trust her. Troy you are too good for her and should be with me instead.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 2/14/2009 17:44:12

Now we all know why Gabby was so guilty a couple of weeks ago. You remember that friend Taylor stayed with for Thanksgiving. It turns out he wasn't just a friend. Taylor has been screwing around with him sense September, when they met while she worked on the Obama campaign on campus. Chad just found out one that girl he loved has been one sleeping with Mr. Thinks he's perfect for months.

Taylor has done the impossible and by making me hate someone more than Gabriella. Do you know how Chad found out about this? I'm sure you will in a few minutes, you guys tell each other everything. Anyway, Chad was setting up his new Twitter account when he found Taylor's account. She was telling everybody about her brand new boy toy. For someone who was smart enough to get into Yale, Taylor is a complete idiot. If I am going to cheat on my boyfriend, I'm not to talk about it on the Internet.

I just thought you should know that I don't hate Gabriella as much as I used to.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 2/15/2008 10:23:33

Never get drunk with your best friend when you are extremely brokenhearted. I'm not entirely sure what happened last night. I do know that copious amounts of Ben and Jerry's and high amounts of good liquor were involved. I'm pretty sure I may have sent you a picture of me flashing the camera or maybe we sent it to Taylor with the caption "my breast are better than yours". I really don't remember any more. Also, we may have recreated a scene from a certain Justin Timberlake video involving evil girlfriends and vengeance. There's also a good chance we posted it on the Internet somewhere. In addition there is this nasty e-mail that Chad sent to Taylor that we BCC you on. I just hope none of this ends up in my _E! True Hollywood Story_. Although overall, it was the best Valentine's day I ever had. Isn't that just sad.

This year I wasn't crying my eyes out over you or wishing you would send me a Valentine's card. I am not that delusional anymore. I know you'll never love me and I accept that. At least that's what my therapist says I should do.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 3/13/2009 22:41:17

It's been a month since the great breakup incident of 2009, as we are referring to the ChadTaylor breakup. I know you went through a good chunk of your minutes around Valentine's Day. Although I can't say am sorry that I accidentally ruined your plans that night. How was I supposed to know that the picture I sent you would make Gabriella think that you were cheating on her? If I knew that was going to happen, I would have tried it in high school when we were not separated by 1000 miles.

Anyway, Chad has pretty much locked himself in his dorm room and is only going out for food, classes, and basketball. Taylor still has not called to apologize. How heartless can a person be? Next week at spring break, I am going to resort to extreme measures to get him out of this depression. It is weird but I am so concerned with taking care of Chad, I'm not even really thinking about you right now.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 5/8/2008 23:57:15

Spring break did not work to get Chad over the evil one. Neither did setting him up on dates with every girl at my sorority. What did help was showing Chad all these letters I wrote to you. I think he kept laughing for hours.

Anyway, I probably will not be writing anything for a while since you will be working at lava springs this summer with us. Yes I am actually working. Daddy thinks it would be good if I actually worked for once in my life. I have no idea why.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 6/1/2009 13:24:52

Why did you have to bring little miss perfect with you? Couldn't she just take summer session at Stanford and leave the rest of us alone. What is worse is she is my boss. The person that you rather love is my boss. It is like everybody is saying she is better than I am. I hate her so much and not just because she's the love of your life. I hate her because she is so fake. No one can ever be that happy. I have all the money I could ever want and I'm not happy. I have the best friend that anybody could ask for and I am not happy. I used to think I was not happy because I didn't have you. I don't believe that any more. .

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 6/25/2009 19:34:46

Michael Jackson is dead. I just cannot believe it. We were all hanging out in the employee lounge after work. You and Gabriella were being the perfect couple, as I was trying not to throw up. Then all of a sudden, the horrible news was everywhere, on cell phones, on our computers, and on the television screen. I wish this was just a rumor, another case of tabloids running wild. However, I know it is not. I just want to cry right now.

When I was little, after watching his music videos I knew I wanted to be a performer. He was the reason why I wanted to sing and dance. He was the reason why I love this stage so much. Some of his songs became the soundtrack to many of the most important moments in my life. Every time I hear _You Are Not Alone_, I think of you.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 8/21/2008 19:54:12

Summer is over and I hate to see it go. I love spending time with you this summer. (especially when you weren't attached to Gabriella at the lips.) It was interesting this summer to see you as a person instead of this god of high school. This summer I actually got to know the real person and not the person I thought you were. Also it was good to see Chad smiling again. I think this summer was exactly what he needed, despite some of the sadder moments.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 10/13/2009 21:14:42

The first few weeks of sophomore year have been a mixture of good and bad things. First, I have a new boyfriend. His name is Damien. He reminds me a lot of you. Okay, he can be your clone. Same color eyes and similar body shape. He even played basketball in high school and was the captain of his high school s team. Chad refers to him as methadone for the Troy loving soul. I think I threw a pillow at him when he said that.

The bad things involve a sorority sister roommate that is so shallow she makes my high school self look like a Rhodes Scholar. I also do not like being an acting major anymore. I am starting to have more fun instructing students at East High than actually being on stage. It is not that I don't love acting, it's just I'm tired of the competition. If you ever read this, you probably believe I have had a severe psychotic break. If you actually are reading this e-mail, then my sanity may no longer be intact.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 11/27/2009 22:24:12

I can't believe Chad talk to you into shopping with us on black Friday. What kind of blackmail does he have on you? Did you cheat on Gabby or something? If you did, why didn't you call me? Anyway, I definitely did have fun hanging out with you. I'm so happy that Gabby is spending thanksgiving with her mom in New York this year. I'm absolutely miserable that Damien was going to be in taxes with his dad and you won't get to meet him. Seriously, you guys are exactly alike. The other day Damien was with me and Chad at the restaurant by where we used to live and a few people swore up and down that it was you.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 3/15/2010 18:44:12

I can't believe that we're both auditioning for_ A Star Is Born_, a new reality show for multi talented performers like ourselves. This is like high school all over again. I can't wait to see you at the San Francisco auditions. Ryan's actually going to try out in New York. I thought about joining him but this is something we should do by ourselves. At least I will have Chad with me to cheer me on.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 6/14/2010 18:44:12

I cannot believe you made it to the final round and I got eliminate it in the second round of the auditions. I could not stop crying for a week. Even Ryan got farther in the audition process than I did and they asked him if he would consider choreographing some of the numbers for the show. So my brother is now gainfully employed in the entertainment industry and I will be stuck working at Lava Springs for another summer. Chad will be with me, but Damien will be working at his father's business back in Texas. At least this summer I am management and Gabriella is doing an internship in New York. I guess it would be good for her to be with her mom. I'm sorry to hear that she is so sick.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 8/20/2010 18:44:12

I can't believe I went to high school and was completely in love with the first ever winner of _A Star Is Born_. I'm so jealous. How was New York? I'll probably am going to actually asks you that on the phone when I call tonight. I will also tell you that I'm no longer an acting major. I don't want to be a professional actor anymore. I want to be a teacher. Therefore, I am going to train others the art of acting. I'm now a education major with an emphasis on the performing arts. Even though I switched majors, I may be able to graduate on time. I do not think if I didn't have Chad or even you to talk to I would have been able to make this painful decision. It is difficult to except I won't be a Broadway Star. I'm happy for you and break a leg.

I love you even though you are taking my dream

I just thought you should know

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 1/28/2011 1:44:12

You have probably seen the footage of 1000 times on ESPN by now. The world loves to see when everything falls apart. Maybe your dad called you and told you the horrible news. He was at the game as well.

That bastard just had to make a cheap shot that most likely ended Chad's basketball career. In those few moments while Chad was still unconscious, I have never been that scared before. The good news is eventually Chad will be able to walk again with strenuous of amounts of physical therapy. The bad news he may never get to play basketball again and for someone like Chad this is just as bad. Actually, it's worse. If he had to use a wheelchair for the rest of his life, he could still compete in the wheelchair basketball league. You know how his mind works.

I have to go; you are calling me right now.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 4/18/2011 22:55:12

Damian broke up with me. OF course, first he accused me of sleeping with Chad. Why are men idiots? He has become jealous of all the time I spend with Chad sense the basketball accident. Chad's my best friend and he needs me right now. If you were my boyfriend, you would understand that.

Chad is paying me back for helping him for the great Taylor breakup of 2009 by setting me up with his friends and eating chunky monkey with me. I think he prefers the chunky monkey part.

Even though I am sure, I started dating Damien because he looked so much like you, I do think I did love him. Not like I loved you. I don't think I'll ever love someone like I loved you. There I said loved. I use the word in the past tense. Because I do not love you like that anymore. I think you're starting to become a really good friend, only a number two to Chad.

Now for some good news, my dad managed to convince the board to give Chad an academic scholarship senses grades were so great. Therefore, no worries about him having two leave school due to the loss of the basketball scholarship. We are currently trying to figure out what his new major would be because the old one is it going to work too well anymore. He's so upset about never getting to play again.

PS. I can't wait to hear your album when it comes out. At least one of us should be famous.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 6/6/2011 18:44:12

It feels so strange for you not to be with us this summer. Even though you were competing and Star Is Born last summer you still spent a lot of time here. Now I'm pretty sure the last time I saw you was on MTV's TRL replacement show that I can remember the name for. I really missed TRL. They don't even have that studio anymore. That is such a shame.

Maybe it is for the best that you're not here. Chad and I are taking summer session so we can graduate on time. We're both behind a lot because we changed majors. Chad is still in education major, but he's going to focus on high school English instead of physical education. He is not as far behind me because he kept taking all those elective English classes for fun.

Also, after I almost strangled my roommate last semester (don't asked) daddy felt it was best if I got an apartment instead of staying in the sorority house. Therefore, Chad and I are moving in together off campus. No, not like that. As one of his best friends, you should know that I am his other best friend and that is it. I have not dated anybody after Damien broke Up with me. I just don't feel like it. Besides I have your posters to fantasize about and Chad make an excellent pillow. I don't really need a boyfriend anymore.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 9/3/2011 15:44:12

I can't believe you invited us to watch you perform at VMA. I've always wanted to walk the red carpet at one of these awards shows. The fact that my brother is nominated for best choreography in a music video is just icing on the cake. I'm not jealous at the fact that he is nominated for an award. Okay I am very jealous that he may win an award. I might be three years older, but I'm still Sharpay Evans diva extraordinaire.

I just want you to know I can't wait to see you perform. Tonight is going to be so much fun.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 2/14/2012 23:24:10

I'm sorry about the Gabby break up. Even though it absolutely hurts me to admit this, I know that you loved her. I know hurts but some day you will meet the perfect person for you. Even though I know I'm not the love of your life, remember a part of me will always love you.

Your friend Sharpay

* * *

From: EvansSA

To:TB206100

Time saved: 4/10/2012 00:44:12

I cannot believe it. All I want to do was cry. All I feel is grief, sadness, and this pain that just won't go away.

Their dead. Mommy and daddy are dead. Chad told me the news. I didn't believe him. I started screaming and crying and telling him that he was lying. It wasn't true. My parents were still alive. I just saw them a couple of days ago. How can they be dead? I don't know why it happened. I do not have all the details yet. The accident was only a couple of hours ago. They think daddy was sending an e-mail while driving. Ironically enough, I am sitting in the back of the car writing this on my blackberry to you as we make our way to see the bodies. I have not even called Ryan yet. How do I tell him that our parents are gone?

I wish you were here. You were always good at making me feel better. I feel so dead inside. It feels like part of me is now gone. I have never felt lost like this before. It did not hurt this bad when I watched you choose Gabriella over me. What do I do now? I am an orphan.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 4/14/2012 15:34:52

Thank you for coming to the funeral. I don't think I would've made it without you and Chad to hold me throughout the entire ceremony. I know it was hard for you to see Gabriella with Ryan. I can't believe my brother kept their relationship a secret from me.

You probably don't know this and since you'll never see this e-mail, I will tell you everything. Ryan and Gabby started seeing each other when you were auditioning for A Star Is Born almost two years ago. I'm sorry. I just found out this weekend. At my parents' funeral, I find out that my brother is sleeping with my worst enemy. I hate her even more now. I just hope she does not become my sister-in-law or the mother to my niece.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 5/26/2012 21:14:16

I think I'm starting to smile again after everything that's happened. Chad was so happy to see you at the graduation ceremony and so was I. The fact that you came to the ceremony with that certain celebrity that looks a lot like me from the _Singing in the Halls_ movies was just a bonus. Although the truly happy moment of the ceremony and the greatest gift my brother ever gave me was watching him and Gabby break up. That was just a beautiful moment.

As for life after college, and next year Chad and I both be substitute teachers at West High. This is where we did our student teaching this year. Also, Chad and I will be moving into our new house next month. I thought about moving into the old house, but there were just too many memories there. In Instead, Ryan and I decided to put the house up for sale. I think it's best for both of us if we have a fresh start .

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 11/16/2012 18:44:12

What are you thinking? She cheated on you for two years with my brother. Do you have any idea what did to you? I would not have been such a bad girlfriend compare to her. Yet you keep going back to someone who hurts you. As your friend, I think you are absolutely out of your bloody mine. Don't worry, I will actually tell you this on the phone tonight. Also why did I have to read about this on EW . com . Friends tell each other about these things.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 3/11/2013 11:45:12

Why are you marrying her? Again, she slept with my brother behind your back for over 18 months.

As your friend, you should talk to me about these things first. Instead, I have to read about it on the society page while I was having my coffee break in the West High teachers' lounge. I almost threw up when I saw the picture of the two of you with the caption "Troy Bolton to marry high school sweetheart law student Gabriella Montez."

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 3/11/2013 20:24:56

False alarm. Thank god, you are not actually marrying her. I hope the two of you break up before anything happens.

Also why are you letting Gabriella seen on your new album?

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 10/10/2013 18:44:12

At least this time you called me to tell me that you were marrying Gabriella. Gabriella Montez, the most evil woman I have ever met next to Taylor Mcafee or wherever her last name is now. How high are you right now?

If after you get married and she decides to leave you for Ryan, I promise to take your side in the divorce. I have to go back to grading papers since I am the new drama teacher at West High. At least, I don't have to grade the English papers that Chad does.

* * *

From: EvansSA

To: TroyBA

Time saved: 6/14/2014 00:44:12

This is the final e-mail of this type that I will ever write you.

I can't believe I'm actually going to your wedding to Gabriella tomorrow. I must be a complete masochist. Then again, so is Ryan her ex boyfriend. My brother has issues. Although he is choreographing on the Broadway stage version of Singing in the Halls, so he will have something to make him feel better.

I'm not going to the wedding tomorrow to torture myself. Okay, there will be some self-torture involved. I'm going to be there for Chad who will be forced to be around Taylor for the first time since the great breakup of 2009. Has it really been five years?

Since he is my best friend, I have to be there for him even though it hurts me to see you marry her. I will always love you in a way. Now I completely accept that you and I can never be together. I've always known that in the back of my mind that this is going to happen. Tomorrow, it's going to be final. Therefore, I let you go forever.

This thing with you does not feel like a breakup, maybe because you are still one of my closest friends. It is more like losing a dream. I have dreamt about being with you for so long and now it's never going to happen. I think I am more worried about never been loved or having my own white picket fence dream. Do you think anyone can ever love me?

However, if I had the chance to do everything all over again I don't think I would change anything. Except, maybe I would teach my dad the dangers of text messaging while driving. When it comes to you I would keep everything as it is. I like where we are right now even if it is not exactly what I wanted.

Anyway, I think I hear Chad coming in. I should probably stop writing this before he catches me in his room again. His bed is just so much more comfortable than my bed. Please see poem below. I will see you at the wedding tomorrow.

Love Sharpay

_Tonight I say goodbye to the first love_

_The one that always was and could never be_

_The one that only existed in dreams_

_I loved you for so long_

_Now I let him go so that I may have peace_

_Goodbye my love_

_Goodbye my dream_

* * *

From: ChadDanforth

To:TB206100

Time sent: 6/14/2014 12:55:33

Sharpay is probably going to kill me for sending this to you. Attached are several emails that she wrote to you but never sent. I just want you to know all this after you marry Gabby today.

By the way, the real reason I told you to stay away from her in high school because I wanted to be with her myself. I love her even more now.

I just thought you should know.

PS. Did you know about Gabriella cheating on you with Ryan? Sharpay never told me about that otherwise I would have told you. If not, I hope you read this e-mail before the ceremony.

* * *

A/N: I had the idea to write a story using emails way back in 1998 when the technology was relatively new. I would not know about fan fiction for almost three more years. This is my attempt that type of story. Please let me know how I did. For the next story, I am going to try to do a Troy/Sharpay without mentioning Chad/Sharpay relationship at all.


	6. You Don’t Have To Be Her: S&T

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I was a little nervous about using an experimental style of writing. I will be writing a sequel to that soon. It turns out the perfect song for that story is the next one that the computer picked for me to use. The story below is Troypay but not related to the last story.

Title: You Don't Have To Be Her

Pairing: Troy /Sharpay, anti-Gabriella/Troy, and a little Ryan/Kelsey

Summary: After finding out the real reason why Gabriella is not returning to New Mexico, Troy finds himself in the high school auditorium listening to Sharpay sing a song he was never supposed to hear.

Inspired by: "**Would That Make U Love Me" **by Robin Thicke. Off of the album The Evolution of Robin Thicke

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Song lyrics used without permission.

Setting/spoilers: This story picks up after Gabriella breaks up with Troy in HSM3

* * *

He was 30 minutes out of the city when he got the call. His original plan was to drive all the way to Stanford and convince Gabriella to stay with him. He would resort to any means necessary to keep her. He thought that if he could convince Gabriella that moving to a new place did not mean saying goodbye, then maybe things would be good again. Then Taylor called him and everything fell apart.

He did not want to believe Taylor. He loved Gabriella. There is no way she would never betray him like that. He knew Gabriella loved him, or lease he thought he did. He was happy staying in a state of denial as Taylor told him the one thing he did not want to hear. He almost convinced himself that Sharpay was blackmailed Taylor into telling him such horrible things. (Even though he knew, the actual Sharpay would never do something like that.) It all had to be a lie. His perfect Gabriella would not cheat on him.

Then Taylor sent him the pictures. If it had been just one, he could tell himself that it was a fake. There were 15 horrible images in all. As he looked at every single picture, he realized Gabby was not perfect. His angel was a sinner just like everyone else. If the pictures are any indication, Gabby was doing a lot of sinning with various people on campus.

Each one showed Gabriella making out with various individuals that were definitely not him. Some were more a bit more pornographic in nature, than others were. He knew the pictures were recently because the T necklace he gave her last year was in several of the shots. In one photograph, Troy saw one of the men playing with the necklace. How could she do that to him? He wanted to cry, scream, and break something all at the same time.

The fact that she was sticking her tongue down some other guy's throw after only being away from him for two weeks made him sick. A wicked voice in the back of his mind whispered, if she could do this to him, then she must not love him. He hated that stupid voice. That voice pointed out the ugly truth of the situation.

Why couldn't Gabriella love him? He had been contemplating that question for the last hour. What was it about him that she could not love? If he were not a basketball player would she love him? If he was as smart as her, could she love him? If he could go to Stanford with her, would they still be together? Would anything ever make her love him?

These question stating his head as he decided what to do. Part of him wanted to drive up to Stanford and demand an explanation for her treacherous behavior. Why did she have to lie to him? Why couldn't she tell him the real reason for breaking up with him? He wanted to know if there was anything, he could do to make her love him again. Then he wondered if she ever loved him.

After sitting in a Starbucks parking lot drinking his beverage of choice, he realizes that maybe he did not want to be with someone who could throw away his love so casually. Why should he try to make someone love him, that is not worthy of his love? After finishing a second overpriced coffee he decided to turn around and go back home.

Instead of finding himself in the driveway of his home, he was at the parking lot of EHS. He was not sure why he came here. Maybe he just wanted to avoid his house for a while. There are too many memories of Gabriella there. Then again, there were many memories of her in this building. Maybe he just wanted to be on the stage by himself for a little while. The stage is one of the few places he is free to be himself. Right now, he just really wanted to be alone.

As he made his way to the auditorium, he heard a piano being played softly in the background. He automatically assumed it was Kelsey. Maybe he can talk her into writing a song where he gets back in Gabriella for cheating on him. Maybe Kelsey could write a song where Gabriella is attacked by wild mountain Lions.

As he made his way to the side of the stage, he noticed it was not Kelsey playing. He was shocked to see Sharpay sitting at the piano. He had no ideal Sharpay could play. She was very good, even better than Kelsey was. She seems so different playing the piano. So unlike the stereotypical Sharpay that he was used to.

At first, he could not recognize the song she was playing. It was familiar, but it wasn't anything from the musical. That was fine with him; he did not want to hear any of those songs right now. In three days, he was supposed to go onstage and pretend to be madly in love with Gabriella. The only thing working in his favor was Sharpay was playing the part of Gabriella. Last week he was miserable at the prospect of Sharpay pretending to be his girlfriend. Now it was the only thing keeping him from leaving the show all together.

_If I wasnt who I was  
If I wasnt me  
Would u stand next 2 me in the street_

As she began to sing the words, he knew instantly what saw she was singing. His mom played the CD enough during the beginning of junior year. He was sure his mom had a crush on Robin Thicke. This song was about a desperate person trying to figure out how he could make his lover really love him. Troy was sure Sharpay was singing the song to him, even though she did not know he was there. When she sang, "would that make you love me" he knew she was asking him that question.

Sharpay's relationship Zeke never really went anywhere and everyone knew why. Zeke was not Troy and Sharpay only wanted him. It was not that Troy was unaware of her feelings for him. It is hard to miss when she spends half the summer following him around like a lost puppy. Besides no one could actually be that bad at golf.

It is just Troy didn't know what to do about it. Up until 4 hours ago, he was in a committed relationship with the person he thought he would be with for a very long time. Even though he thought Sharpay was cute and sometimes fun to be around, he could not make a move. Unlike Gabriella, he believed in staying loyal to someone you cared about. At the same time, he did not want to hurt Sharpay. Doing nothing seemed to be the easiest course.

If he had any doubts about Sharpay singing this song to him, they were gone when she sang a lyric that was definitely not in the recorded version of _Would That Make U Love Me_.

_**If I were like Gabby**_

_Would that make u love me_

When she sang that line, it broke his heart. He did not want her to be like Gabriella. Gabriella was a cruel person who broke his heart in a million pieces. Gabriella did not love him. Gabriella couldn't deal with the pressures of life. Gabriella just ran away from everything when it got too tough. Gabriella could not even stay loyal to him for two weeks. Maybe she was sleeping with all sorts of people the entire time they were together.

Sharpay was none of these things. Sharpay was ambitious, but she was not cruel. If she were cruel she would have never gave Ryan that trophy last summer. Not too many people know that between play productions Sharpay volunteers at an elementary school down the street. She helps students who are having difficulties keep up with their classes.

Sharpay could deal with the pressures of life even though she was dramatic about it sometimes. Anyone who knew the real Sharpay knew her life was not perfect. Her parents disappeared half the time leaving her and Ryan alone. Sharpay dealt with her problems head on. Sharpay never led Zeke on, instead she was up front with him about the fact that a relationship between the two of them can never go beyond the just a friend stage. (Unfortunately, she was a little too honest about not wanting to be with Zeke in that way.) She dealt with the situation like a grownup. Instead of like a spoiled child as Gabriella did. (Except for the occasional show tantrum)

He kept listening to Sharpay sing about all the things she would change if that would make him love her. He wanted to go right up to her and tell her that she did not need to change anything. He liked the real Sharpay just the way she was. It was the fake Sharpay that he had a problem with, the Sharpay that was trying to make people like her by adopting the ice queen persona. He did not like that person. He knew it was not real. Underneath all the pretense, there was a good person inside of Sharpay Evans diva extraordinaire.

If I came 2 u from a different place  
Would my message finally be heard

It was strange that by listening to her singing her heart out to him without her knowing that he was actually listening he was finally able to really see her. He actually heard what she was saying this time. He did care about her. He just was not sure in what way anymore. Too much has changed in the last few hours for him to make sense of how he feels.

If its just me and u and theres no one else  
Would u see how much were the same

He wondered for a moment if it were not for his friends, would he be in this current situation. He liked Sharpay two years ago before Gabriella even got here, but he was too afraid to make a move because his friends would be upset. He started dating Gabriella because after the musical everybody said he and Gabriella were the 'cutest' couple.

He knew that he and Sharpay were a lot like. They were always trying to make everybody else happy. Most people did not know whom they really were inside. They both only let people see a severely edited version of themselves. They both love to perform. It was his favorite thing to do. He was broken out of his meditation by the end of the song and Sharpay's voice.

"Troy I know you're there. You don't have to spy me from the wings anymore."

"I wasn't… Did you know I was here the entire time?"

"No I figured it out during the last verse. So you heard the entire song, even the new lyrics?"

"Yes, it was really good. I have no idea you could play the piano like that. Your voice was really good. Why don't you sing like that in the show? It would fit better with the performance."

"Because that's not how people expect Sharpay Evans to sing."

"Who cares what people expect of Sharpay Evans? You need to be yourself. I like you when you are yourself. I don't like you when you're trying to be the ice queen."

"Maybe you're right." Sharpay said begrudgingly. "Aren't you supposed to be picking up the FMG from the Airport right now?" Sharpay said it with so much disdain; he had a feeling that FMG meant something really bad.

"What does FMG mean?"

"The clean version is freaky math girl." That was Sharpay's nickname for the evil bitch that stabbed him in the heart.

"What's the unclean version?"

"The F stands for that other F word that offends." That name was perfect for his ex. Especially considering that that F word was what she was doing to the person in a few of those pictures.

"I think I prefer the dirty version right now." Troy said softly to himself, but Sharpay heard it anyway.

"Okay now I know something happened. You also look like you have been crying. What did the FMG do you?" For some reason he could not talk about Gabriella's infidelity. Instead, he pulled out his phone and brought up the photographs. Within seconds of passing her the phone, he saw a look of the anger of Sharpay's face that he never saw before. She was quiet for a few minutes just looking at every picture, but her body told a completely different story. She quickly gave him back the phone and pulled her own phone from her pocket.

"Hey Gladys this is Sharpay. I need you to get me two tickets to San Francisco right away. I don't care if it's not first class I will take anything available, just get me there."

"Sharpay what are you doing?"

"You and I are going to San Francisco so you can tell that evil bitch what a moron she is for hurting you and giving you up. You loved her and she just threw it all away. How stupid. I would do anything for you to love me as you love to her. Like I love you," Troy knew she said that part accidentally. Even though he knew that she loved him, he never heard her say it. It was just this feeling that he got in her presence."

"I know you would. This is probably why you are using your frequent flyer miles to help me out. I just do not want to see her right now. Maybe in a couple of weeks if she comes back to the graduation ceremony, I will be ready to achieve some sort of closure. Right now, I just want to forget I ever knew someone called Gabriella Montez. Tomorrow night I am going to go to the prom by myself and hang out with my friends. On Sunday night you and I will go on stage and completely below the minds of those Juilliard judges."

"I still want to go to San Francisco and kick her ass." Sharpay said angrily.

"I know you do. However, getting vengeance on her isn't worth you been charged with assault or possibly attempted murder." He said the last part as a joke. However, considering the look in Sharpay's eyes he believed it to be a viable possibility.

"Fine you win. However, if she does not come to the graduation ceremony, you and I are taking a road trip to see her this summer. I've always wanted to try out my convertible and a drive to San Francisco would definitely be fun."

"I think by that time I might be ready to deal with everything."

"Gladys never mind, the trip just got postponed till later this summer. I will call you later about hotel reservations when I get definite dates. Thank you, you are absolutely fabulous."

"Thank you" Troy says as he grabs her hand.

"I'm doing this for you, not her. I still want to smack her for hurting you." Sharpay said as she went to make another call.

"Who are you calling now?"

"Kelsey and Ryan, we have just slightly more than 48 hours to remove all of the Gabriella related material in the musical. Ms. Darbus already cut a lot from the original version. However, there is still a lot of it in there. All things considered, I don't think you want to be singing a love song about Gabriella right now."

"Not if I can help it."

"Between the four of us, I'm sure we can rework the lyrics."

"You know you're great, right."

"I know"

"If only you can save me from everybody's questions when I show up to the dance alone tomorrow," Troy said in annoyance.

"You don't have to go alone."

"I seriously doubt there is a single girl at the school who doesn't have a date at this point."

"I don't. I decided to go by myself. I did not feel like forcing Zeke to go with me as just a friend. He is going with his new girlfriend instead. I just do not see a point in having a date. Who says you need a date to have fun."

"So you wouldn't want to go with me as just a friend?"

"I will go with you to the prom and post all the pictures on my face book page just to get back at your evil ex."

"Actually, wouldn't it be better if I post them on my face book page?" Troy said with a smile

"Might as well. You deserve to get some revenge out of the evening. "

Right then he gave her a very gentle kissed on the lips. This kiss was different from anything he experienced with Gabriella. His only thought was Sharpay is a much better kisser than Gabriella.

"What was that for?" Sharpay asked as she brought her fingers to touch her lips.

"That is a thank you. Just so, you know you don't have to be Gabriella for me to like you." He wanted to say love, but that would be too much right now. He wanted to tell her that someday very soon he would love her exactly the way she is. Instead of saying those things, he kissed her on the forehead as she went to call her brother and his girlfriend Kelsey to rewrite the musical. When Kelsey and Ryan arrived 45 minutes later, they found the two sitting on the piano, rewriting the lyrics for _I Just Want To Be With You_. The two were laughing and giggling the entire time.

* * *

A/N: It is a miracle. I wrote an entire story without mentioning Chad once. Do not worry Chad will be back in the next story.

I have wanted to write a story based on the song since the first time I heard it.


	7. The Nature of I Love You:T&G, S&C, G&JZ

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last story. One of my anonymous reviews commented about the overused cliché of Gabriella cheating on Troy in Troypay fic. I will admit that adultery is a very easy and sometimes overused plot device. Especially when you are trying to get Troy with any other character in a cannon base fic. You have to find a way to break up the relationship between Troy and Gabriella. Gabriella's personality benign different from what it appears to be or infidelity are easy ways to do this.

Gabriella being different from the way she is in the film's does not necessarily means you're writing her out of character. It means you are writing her personality beyond what is presented in the film or you are allowing the character to grow. Also in the prequel to this story _Dear Troy Bolton_, Gabriella is six years older. Over time, people change. Who you are at 17 is not necessarily who you are at 24. Life makes you hard sometimes. However, in this follow-up story I'm going to try to explain Gabriella's changes in personality in a way that doesn't necessarily make her evil, just human.

Title: The Nature of I Love You

Sequel to Dear Troy Bolton and Can I Have This Dance

Inspired by: I loved you by Will Smith (If you believe Will Smith never wrote a non fluffy song listen to this. It is a very bitter song about a marriage coming undone."

Pairings: Troy/Gabriella, Gabriella/other (I want this one to be a surprise), Chad/Sharpay, Chad/Troy (Bromance), Troy/Sharpay (complicated friendship) and mentions of Ryan/Gabriella, Ryan/OC, Kelsey/OC

Disclaimer: I do not own these characters or the songs being used for inspiration. Will Smith created the character of Michelle. I am just making the character a bit more vivid. My main goal is to make the characters human.

* * *

June 14, 2014 the new grand Beverly hotel, Beverly Hills California.

She stood in the shadows watching her guests, which was unusual for a bride to do at her own wedding. She knew most of them did not want this wedding to happen. They did not love her as they did in high school. They all wanted her to be the girl that existed back then. That girl died a long time ago. She was killed by watching her mom dies slowly of cancer, just like her father a few years earlier while the man she loved was too busy becoming a pop star. Whatever light that was left in her was destroyed by seen how cruel the world really is when she started law school and began to understand the true nature of evil. The world wasn't black and white anymore. It was gray, charcoal, and off white. She can no longer pretend everything was perfect when it wasn't.

Even Taylor was wary of the adult Gabriella. She almost considered making her college friend Michelle the maid of honor. The only thing that changed her mind was Gabriella knew it would make Chad uncomfortable. Chad and Gabriella had not gotten along well for the last six years. Ever since, she took Taylor side in the breakup. Gabriella believed it was okay for Taylor to cheat on Chad because she fell in love with someone else. Maybe it had something to do with the way Gabriella was raised. Her mother was the other woman. She fell in love with her father when he was married to someone else. Her father loved her mom so much that he left the other woman. Gabriella believed cheating wasn't necessarily a bad thing if love was involved or if you needed attention that you were not getting from your partner.

Besides she never believed that Sharpay was just Chad's friend. They lived together. There is no way those two can live in the same house and not be sleeping together. The fact that she saw them kissing on the balcony an hour ago proved her point. There was always something going on between those two. This was fine with her. That meant she no longer had competition for the man who was now her husband.

As she watched her husband mingle with the guests, she listened to her husband's best friend and her ex boyfriend talk.

"I can't believe he actually went through with the wedding." Chad said taking another drink of champagne.

"Love has no common sense." Ryan said as he took another drink of the champagne. "I can't say anything. I loved her once upon a time. She didn't love me. She was too messed up. With her mom being sick, her having to leave Stanford to take care of her and Troy becoming a star so quickly, it was too much. I was there, as a friend and she needed more. I made my peace a long time ago. Yes, I've tried to tell Troy about the whole thing the moment I found out about the engagement. She already told him about it. He forgave her because of the circumstances. All things considered I am surprised that he lets me choreograph any of his videos."

"Maybe Sharpay's emails will help." Chad said mumbling but Gabriella heard him anyway.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing. Let us talk about your decision to bring a male model as your date."

"I said I made peace with how she treated me. I did not say I did not want to get a little revenge. Besides why bring a female date when a guy can be so much more humiliating."

"You're so much like your sister it's scary sometimes."

"Speaking of my sister, what are your intentions?"

At that point, she stopped listening not wanting to hear about Chad and Sharpay's relationship. She had a feeling that Chad may have sent something to Troy in hopes of getting the wedding called off. The only way to know for sure was to check Troy's account. Fortunately, her husband was a workaholic. To make sure he didn't check his e-mail during the ceremony she kept his blackberry in her little bag. Now she was happy she did. Her Best friend Michelle told her to never trust anybody. That's why Gabriella knew the password to her husband's blackberry. She quickly opened up his e-mail account. After reading the e-mail Chad sent where Sharpay confessed her love for Troy, Gabriella got worried. There is no way she was going to let her husband see this. She was not going to lose another person she loved. She instantly dictated the magic command to the blackberry "Delete e-mail from Danforth" and instantly her problem was gone

"What are you doing with my blackberry? I thought you said no blackberries or cell phones today." Her husband of 3 hours and 23 minutes said from behind her.

"Sorry I was going through e-mail withdrawal and I thought it was mine." She said placing the smart phone back in her little purse.

"You say I'm bad. Put the bag down, I want to dance with my wife," he said with a smile.

"I like the sound of that," she said smiling back at him.

* * *

June 15, 2017 11:03 AM

The Fortier was covered with broken glass and shattered picture frames. Scattered pieces of wedding pictures littered the hardwood floors. Sharpay Evans-Danforth slowly made her way through the broken mess that was now the Bolton-Montez mansion with her husband behind her. Late yesterday evening while she and her husband were enjoying the first day of summer vacation, Kelsey called her and Chad in a panic. She essentially demanded that they come to LA. right away because Troy needed them. As she began to see bottles of vodka, Rum, and Jack Daniel's scattered throughout the house she instantly recognized the scene she was walking into. She knew this was the sight of the brokenhearted.

They followed the trial of broken picture frame and destroyed photographs to the master bedroom. The room was broken apart. Gabriella's clothes were lying on the floor. The mattress was lying up against the wall and the sheets were in pieces. In that room she saw a similar scene to the one she saw nine years ago after the Taylor incident. It was the site of a man who had his heartbroken by the one person he loved more than anything.

"So how badly do I need to kill the bitch?" Sharpay said as she ran over to her best friend to offer him comfort. Her husband followed right behind her.

25 hours earlier

Being a superstar was hard work. Troy was beginning to see why his friend Sharpay chose to be a schoolteacher instead of a Broadway Star. Currently he was touring the country while recording his fifth studio album in seven years. With the new technology, it was easy to record on the road. This gave him very little time to do anything else including hanging out with his friends or talking to his wife. He was pretty sure he saw his songwriting partner Kelsey Nielsen-McCoy more than his wife Gabriella. His schedule was so bad he was almost going to miss his third anniversary. Fortunately Kelsey had the brilliant ideal to schedule a recording session was super producer Miss West, who never left L.A.

This allowed him to surprise his wife for their third anniversary. First, he was going to pop in the house and give her a brand new diamond necklace, before heading to the recording studio. Then tonight they would go to her favorite restaurant the Baylor Experience, started by their old high school friend. Afterwards they would fly out for two days to this quaint bed and breakfast in upstate New York. From there he would drive down to the next shows scheduled on Saturday in Cleveland. It was the perfect plan, there is just one problem, Gabriella.

He should realize something was wrong when he saw the red flashy sports car in the driveway. He knew he wasn't so busy that he would miss his wife buying a new car. Maybe this was his anniversary present. He doubted it. Gabriella knew his tastes better than that. He slowly made his way through the house passing by all the pictures of him and his wife. He could not believe that they had been together for 10 years. He discovered his love for music and her on the same day. Although Gabby did record an album a couple of years ago, she decided it just was not for her. She preferred being a lawyer.

As Troy made his way to the second floor of their luxurious home he started to hear noises coming from the master suite. He instantly recognize the voice of his wife telling someone else to touch that special spot that only Troy was only supposed to know about. He knew what was going on. The moans and groans told him everything. He should go downstairs and think his attorney for including the adultery clause in the prenuptial agreement. Instead, he needed to see the scene for himself. The woman he loved more than anything else, was riding the 2016 rookie of the year, L.A. Lakers and former high school classmate Jimmie Zara.

For a second he just stood there taking in the shocking scene. It was not the first time. He forgave her last time because her mom just died and high amounts of alcohol were involved. She needed comfort and he wasn't there so of course she would seek it from her good friend Ryan. In addition, Michelle was whispering all sorts of stupid things to Gabriella. Michelle was a bad influence on Gabriella. Teaching her how to betray those she loved.

He couldn't understand the scene in front of him. How could she do this to him again? It hurt worse this time because they were now married. They pledged themselves to each other in sickness and health to death due them part. He wanted to cry. Instead, he decided to take more decisive action.

"I see you still have a thing for basketball players Gabriella." They both stopped at the sound of his voice. They scrambled to cover themselves with sheets in a late attempt to look somewhat modest.

"It's not what it looks like."

Part of him felt like quoting that line from the Eminem song _Guilty Conscience _and then taking a baseball bat to the bedroom. However, he thought better of it.

"So you're not having sex with Jimmie Zara in our bed on _our wedding anniversary_?" Troy questioned his wife sarcastically.

"You're still together. You told me you were separated. I would not have done anything with your wife if I knew the truth." Jimmy said to Troy as he look him in the eyes. For some reason Troy believed him a lot more than his wife at this moment.

"I didn't tell you anything like that." Gabriella said trying to defend herself.

"No, it was probably Michelle. She's the same shade as Chad with Asian features. Treason is an art form to her. She is the one who taught Gabriella how to be so evil. It is not your fault Jimmy, you still thought she was the same sweet and innocent girl from high school. So did I, once upon a time. Time and personal pain changes a person. Neither one of us is the person we were in high school, Gabriella. If I was my high school self, I would be begging you to stay. I would be blaming myself for your infidelity. High school has been over for a long time. Get out of my house. I never want to see you again." Troy said in a calm voice trying to keep himself from falling apart.

"It is your fault." Gabriella said in anger.

"How is it my fault that you're sleeping with him?" Troy shouted angrily as he pointed to jimmy. He couldn't stay calm with her blaming him for her bad decisions.

"You are never here. You are always working on your albums, filming some movie, giving concerts, or making some public appearance. What am I supposed to do when you leave me alone most of the time? I need attention and you're not here to give it to me."

"I'm a performer Gabriella. That's my job of Gabriella. You knew that when we got married. Why are you so upset about it now?"

"But not when we fell in love. You were available back then. Now you are Troy the superstar and you are never available. When you are here, you're on the phone with her." He instantly knew which 'her' she was referring to.

"You're jealous of Sharpay?" Troy asked on the verge of laughter. Over the years, Sharpay has become one of his best friends. However, she was just that, a really good friend. A friend, that is madly in love with his other best friend. They finally admitted their feelings at Troy's wedding to Gabriella. Chad and Sharpay were married only three weeks later. They were expecting their first child in November. Troy never saw a couple more in love in his entire life. There was more trust and love in that relationship than he ever had with Gabriella.

"I know you are sleeping with her." Gabriella shouted at him at the top of her lungs as she started getting dressed.

"I thought you knew me better than that. If you think, I would betray you in such a vicious way, that's your fault. I guess it is easy to believe I could do that to you, when you are doing that to me. I would never cheat on you. Even though I have women throwing panties on stage at every concert. I've never slept with any of them. You are the only person I have ever been with. As for Sharpay, she is too in love with her husband to do anything like that. Unlike you, she doesn't sleep around."

"Yes she does. We all know she was sleeping with Chad freshman year when he was still with Taylor." Troy knew for a fact that that never happened. Chad and Sharpay didn't even get together till three years ago, even though Troy knew they were in love way before then.

"I'm not even going to respond. Nothing I say will convince you otherwise that didn't happen. That was just a justification that you and Taylor came up to make her feel less guilty. Just like you are doing now with me. Is it easier for your conscience to take your treacherous behavior, if I'm doing the exact same thing you're doing?"

"You are doing the exact same thing. I know that she loves you." Gabriella said screaming at him as she threw a pillow his way. He was surprised she did this. If anybody have the right to throw furniture it was him. However, he was not going to react to her deceits in a physical way.

"How'd you know that she loves me?" he asked her needing to know the answer.

"I saw the emails."

"What emails?" Troy asked, not knowing what she was talking about.

"The ones Chad sent you that she'd never intended you to see. Right before the wedding, your best friend was trying to manipulate things so we would break up. However, I deleted the email."

"Right now I really wish I saw it. Even back then, you were trying to manipulate things. I have a recording session in 30 minutes. When I get back I want you out of my house and out of my life."

"Of course you're going back to work. You love your job more than you love me."

"My job paid for you to go to law school. My job allows you to do pro bono work with the less fortunate. My job pays for your designer suits for court. I loved you so much Gabriella. I wanted us to live in this house forever. I want us to grow old together and raise a family. You tossed all of that away, along with my love for you when you did this. I don't care what you say. I don't wanna hear your meaningless 'I love you'. Stop trying to justify your treachery. It's over. The next time I see you better be at the divorce hearing."

"I'm pregnant." both men looked at her in pure shock.

"What?" scream the two men in anger.

"Who is the father? Jimmy asked the question that was on both their mind. Unfortunately, she did not answer.

"You don't know do you. If it is my child, I want full custody. You'll be hearing from my lawyer in the morning." with that he walked out of his house and away from the woman, he loved so much. It wasn't until he reached the recording studio that he finally broke down and started to cry.

* * *

June 15, 2017 5:13 PM

It took his wife almost an hour to get their friend out of his house and away from the scene of the great betrayal by Gabriella. They were currently staying at a hotel that Sharpay's company owned, about a mile away from Troy's house. After Sharpay got him to take a shower and eat something, Troy finally told them the bitter story. Apparently, Gabriella was sleeping around with a certain NBA player that they went to high school with. Making the situation even worse, Gabby was allegedly pregnant and did not know whom the father was. After Troy finally went to sleep around one, Kelsey came over to fill them in on the rest of yesterday's events.

After showing up at the recording studio in tears, when he read the lyrics to the new love song Kelsey wrote about Gabriella for Troy he flipped out and tore the lyric sheet into pieces. Then Troy basically went into a writing jag, creating the most angry bitter love songs of all time. Around 7:00 PM Troy discovered the stash of hard liquor in the studio. That's when things really got bad. Troy preceded to record cover versions of Will Smith's _I Loved You_, John Legend _Used to Love U_ and a gender corrected version Lauryn Hill's _I Used to Love Him_. When Troy started singing a very drunk version of _Wake Up Call_ by Maroon 5 with Jimmy and Gabriella's names in the lyrics, Kelsey stop the recording session and called Chad and Sharpay to save Troy from himself. Sometimes between Kelsey and her husband Ben, dropping Troy at his house around 2:00 AM and when Chad and his wife showed up around 11:00 AM Troy did his destruction of the mansion.

The woman who broke his best friend's heart had called Chad three times today to get in touch with her soon to be ex. Each time Chad told her to go to hell and talk to Troy's regular lawyer Kerri-Ann. She got so desperate that she actually called Sharpay's phone. That led to the mother of all arguments. Gabriella essentially accused his wife of screwing his best friend. He found the accusations so funny that he could not stop laughing. In a fit of pregnancy hormones, Sharpay tossed her cell phone at the wall after telling Gabriella to go fuck herself.

"Good thing phones are a lot less fragile than they were in high school." Chad said handing the barely scratched telephone back to his wife.

"I just hate are so much. I mean I knew she was capable of doing something like this. Never trust the quiet ones. There is always something hidden underneath the sweet and happy exterior. Considering what she did to my brother, I should not be surprised she did this Troy. I didn't want to think she would do this to Troy again. He is our friend and it hurts me to see him like this. I know he loves her so much. If you ever did something like this to me I would be devastated."

"You know you never have to worry about that with me. I love you no matter what." Chad said wrapping his arms around his wife and their unborn child as he kissed her shoulder.

"I know. I love you too. You never have to worry." Sharpay said as she kissed her husband on the lips.

"Am I interrupting something?" Troy said as he exited the room that he had been sleeping in.

"Just the usual. I am sorry if we are throwing our love for each other in your face. I know I hated that when you and she who shall not be named did that to me in high school." Sharpay said pulling away from her husband.

"I'm okay with it. At least something good happened at my wedding. Since apparently the ceremony wasn't worth the paper that the minister signed." Troy said making his way to the liquor cabinet, but Sharpay stopped him.

"Last night you consumed so much liquor, it's a miracle you didn't get alcohol poisoning. No more alcohol. You are going to get through this break up and we're here to help. We will not let you do this from inside a bottle. I remembered the last time. We're here to save you from yourself." Troy gave up when he saw how determine Sharpay was.

"It just hurt so much. How could she do this? When we met, she was so sweet and innocent. I never thought she could become a different person who in her mind could justify cheating on me. If you or Sharpay say 'I told you so' I will walk out of this room and go to the nearest bar."

"You're not going to hear that from either of us." Chad said as he look at his wife to make sure she went along with it. "You are an adult. You have to make your own choices. We respect that and we're here for you." Chad said hugging his best friend.

"Will even help you go lawyer shopping." Sharpay said as she joined in on the hug.

"Kerri-Ann is going to take care of the lawyer thing. The prenuptial agreement is specific, other than paying for her education; I do not owe her a thing. At least I listen to you and Chad about that. The complication is the baby." Troy said as he let go of his two friends.

"I hope the baby is yours. I want our twins to have a playmate." Sharpay said accidentally letting it slipped to her husband that they were having twins.

"What do you mean twins?" Chad questions his wife in shock.

"I just found out a few days ago when I had to go to the ultrasound by myself because you had an exam to give out. I wanted it to be a surprise."

"So that's why you didn't show me the sonogram yet." Chad said kissing his wife once more.

"As much as I would love to see the three of them together, I don't want to bring a child into the world under these circumstances."

"No matter what that baby will be loved." Sharpay said reassuring her friend.

"This situation is so bad. I even feel sorry for Jimmy. Gabriella pretty much lied to him. He is so young to this business. The press is going to eat him alive when this mess goes public." Troy said grabbing a juice from the refrigerator.

"I'm sure Gabriella was doing fine job of messing with his head already. She did quite a number on my brother. He survived 18 months of her stringing him along like a lovesick fool. I'm just happy he found someone who actually loves him."

"What are you talking about? Troy asked in confusion.

"You don't know." Chad said quietly.

"That Gabriella slept with Ryan the night her mom died. I know and I understood. It was a very emotional time and I forgave her for that. In addition, we were not married at the time. I can't forgive her this time."

"If she wasn't pregnant I would hurt her." Sharpay said angrily.

"You never read the e-mail?" Chad muttered under his breath as he watched his wife become more agitated by the moment.

"This wouldn't be the e-mail you sent me right before the wedding ceremony containing Sharpay's confessions of love?

Suddenly his wife is on Chad. "You send him those emails. He wasn't supposed to see them. I wish I never let you read them."

"Sharpay you wrote them to him. He had a right to see them eventually. Once I was absolutely sure you were over him."

"It was like my diary. You are not supposed to share some ones diary with other people. You're so sleeping on the couch tonight."

"Baby, I'm sorry. We were just so desperate that the time. I was willing to try anything."

"If it makes you feel better, I never read the emails. On the advice of Michelle, the treacherous one, my loving wife, of only a few hours, broke into my e-mail account and deleted the message." Troy said taking a drink of his orange juice.

"How could she do something like that?" Sharpay said redirecting her anger at Gabriella for the moment. "That means that she read what I wrote. Now, you are definitely sleeping on the couch, Chad. I want ice cream and not ice cream from the freezer. I want Cold Stone ice cream from down the street. I want raspberry brownie fudge with marshmallow fluff and Carmel. I want big size. In addition, I want salt and vinegar Curb potato chips. If you want to see me in my panties any time soon, you will get these things for me now." Sharpay said pulling out her blackberry and handing it to Troy.

"What's this?" Troy asked in surprise.

"Since my idiot husband sent this to you, I think you deserve the opportunity to read it. Although I just like to mention that I was drunk when I wrote some of this."

"Sharpay I don't even think they sell those chips in California." Chad said complaining to his wife.

"You better hope they do or you're not getting any until we get back to New Mexico. Your children want those chips. You don't want to disappoint your children. Now go get my food and bring back dinner." Sharpay said walking out of the living room of the suite and into their bedroom slamming the door behind her.

* * *

For the last hour, Troy sat quietly in the living room reading the emails that Sharpay never meant for him to see. Some were almost nine years old. Some were absolutely hilarious and others made him cry. He wanted to use that last poem in a song. One thing he knew for sure was once upon a time Sharpay Evans loved him. He knew that wasn't the case anymore. Because Sharpay Evans loved wholeheartedly and he knew her heart belonged to Chad. By reading the letters, he learned that Gabriella was screwing Ryan behind his back the entire time her mom was sick. For some reason he was not that shocked to learn the true nature of her infidelity.

The most important he learned from reading these emails was how Sharpay Evans love people. She loved people unconditionally and without expecting anything in return. By watching her marriage with Chad, Troy knew she loved wholeheartedly. These emails just confirm that to him.

Chad and Sharpay knew everything about each other. Their deepest secret was probably the fact that Chad sent Troy these emails the first time around and that is not even a secret now. His marriage to Gabriella had so many secrets. For example, Troy was tired of being famous and wanted to walk away from everything for a while. Chad and Sharpay could share their deepest fears with each other. He and Gabriella could not. Maybe that's the real reason why his marriage fell apart.

As he tried to walk to liquor cabinet to sneak in a drink, Sharpay walked down the room in caught him.

"Walk away from the bourbon." Sharpay said calmly from the doorway.

"After reading those emails, I think I deserve a drink."

"Fine, but just one shot. Can you get me a glass of milk? The babies need their calcium.

"Ryan was dating Gabriella for 18 months while she was still with me. I wish I knew that before the wedding."

"I'm sorry. Ryan said he tried to tell you, but you already told him you knew."

"I knew the version of the truth that Gabriella told me. I really wish I listen to you guys."

"You were not ready to hear those truths at that time. Are you going to ask me about the other things in the letters?"

"It does not matter at this point. You are a happily married woman."

"Yes I am. My husband loves me so much he is going on a wild goose chase for potato chips and ice cream."

"You know they don't sell those chips in L.A."

"I know that, but he doesn't. Besides, he should not have sent you those e-mails. I wasn't ready at the time to tell you those things. Now I am. I will call Chad in an hour and tell him that I forgive him."

"Some of the emails were funny. I definitely needed a good laugh."

"Glad my feelings made you feel better." Sharpay said sarcastically.

"I'm talking about you slapping Jimmy. If only you could do that now."

"Let me think about it. No, I think I rather slap Gabriella. Between what she did to you and Ryan I never want to see her again.

"I think what I learn the most from reading the emails, was how you love people. Even though you were writing about how much you loved to me, I saw a lot of your relationship with Chad developing. Do you realize that you were in love with him for almost six years before you admitted that you loved him?

"Not at the time." Sharpay said taking the milk from Troy.

"I realize there is the big difference between your relationship with Chad and mine with Gabriella. The two of you were friends first. You have a good basis for your relationship and marriage. Gabriella and I were never friends. We like the same things, singing and performing in musicals. Other than that we did not have much in common. I really didn't know that much about her. You and Chad are complete opposites, but if the world were to come apart you would be there for him. It's a shame I had a chance to have that type of love and I was too fooled by shiny Gabriella to see it." Troy said looking at her sadly as he sipped on the last drink he would have four a while.

"I didn't want you to see it. Looking back on it now, I do not think a romantic relationship would have work between us. You know I still love you. A part of my heart belongs to you. You will always be my first love. However, I love you as my best friend now, not the love of my life. That person was not you. Chad is the love of my life. I know for a fact, I am not your soul mate. The thing is, neither was Gabriella. Someday you will find the love of your life. She will be your best friend and will know you inside out. You'll want to go on crazy ice cream runs when she is carrying your child. You will trust her enough to leave her alone in a hotel room with the guy she was in love with from junior high to the end of college and know nothing will happen. That is the true nature of I love you.

"What if I never find what you have with Chad?" Troy said with much sadness.

"You will find that lov some day. Until then, you have me and Chad to keep you from going completely crazy. For example were going to be going with you on tour to keep you from drinking yourself silly and sleeping with random groupies."

"You're going to do what?" Troy asked in shock. He was surprised at what his two best friends were willing to do for him. He should know better, considering they just dropped everything to come see him through this nightmare break up.

"When Kelsey was over earlier today she told us about how you could only push back the tour a few days. You would have to go back on the road soon. Because school is out for the summer, Chad and I decided we are coming with you. The road is a very dangerous place for a brokenhearted person and we don't want you to become a tragic episode of behind the music. The whole thing was Chad's idea.

"Thank you. I know I can count on you two for anything."

"It's only going to be a month. After that, I think you should come stay with us for a while. We even have a recording studio in the mansion. You're probably going to have to re-record most of the current album. All the happy love songs about she who will not be named, will probably go into the vault. Hey, everyone needs an edgy album. In 2009, they said divorce was the best thing that ever happened to Marilyn Manson. I am sure you and Kelsey can turn out all sorts of good stuff. I heard the song you recorded with Miss West yesterday. It was fabulous." Just then, he hugged her.

"I think that would be good. I think being home is probably the best thing. California was never home." As they broke apart, Chad walked in to the room carrying her custom ice cream and the specific potato chip Sharpay wanted.

"How did you find these? I know they don't sell them here." Sharpay said as she went to kiss Chad.

"Yes, I know that. I love you so much that I bribed Kelsey's husband Ben with the promise of an entire case of every single one of their chips when we get back to New Mexico, if he parted with one of his chip of the month's club selections. I also brought your ice cream. For us I brought wings and pizza.

"Did you get me the pineapple teriyaki ones? The babies love pineapple teriyaki wings." Just then, Chad pulled Sharpay's special wings out of the larger package.

"She's making this stuff up right." Troy asked Chad as he put the rest of the food on the table.

"I wish." Chad sighed as he went to get himself something to drink.

"You're going to find out about all my strange cravings when were on tour."

"You might as well have your concert rider adjusted to cover Sharpay cravings."

"What did I get myself in to?"

"You love us anyway," Chad said grabbing a slice of pizza from the box.

"Yes I do." Troy said surrounded by his two best friends. Even though Gabby was gone for good, he knew that with these two he would be okay.

* * *

A/N: The Marilyn Manson line was actually based on the album review in the Washington Post.

I just want to say I'm planning on write one more story in this series for this collection. Then there may be a chance that I will spin off this set of stories . If you want to see a multi chapter story based on this story line, let me know in a review. I probably won't write it until one of my other stories is wrapped up.

If you want in your review, tell me if the baby should be Troy's or Jimmy's. At the moment I'm a bit undecided.


	8. Gifts:S&C

Thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. I had so much fun writing pregnant Sharpay, that I decided to do it again when the song came up.

Title: Gifts

Pairing: Chad/Sharpay with mentions of past Zeke/Sharpay

Also includes Troy/OC, Taylor/OC, Gabriella/OC, Zeke/OC (As you can tell there's a pattern developing here)

Summary: The greatest gifts are those that we never expect to get.

Setting /time period: post graduation

Inspired by: To Zion by Lauryn Hill

"_For unto me a man child would be born  
Woe this crazy circumstance  
I knew his life deserved a chance  
But everybody told me to be smart  
Look at your career they said,  
"Lauryn, baby use your head"  
But instead I chose to use my heart  
Now the joy of my world is in Zion"_

_The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, _1998

* * *

June 17, 2023: East High Class of 2008 15 year high school reunion.

Sharpay saw high school reunions as some evil competition between former classmates. Every time she came to one of these, it seem like people were competing against each other for the most kids, the best career, or who had the best spouse/life partner. Her high school self would have loveed that sort of thing, but as an adult she hated. No matter how much Sharpay accomplished, she always felt lacking compare to her peers. Maybe her brother was right by avoiding these things. Ryan did not need the validation of others. Sometimes Sharpay wish she could be more like him. Instead, Sharpay just had to torture herself by being around people who hated her for the majority of years at east high and could not get over the fact that she grew up into a decent human being.

At the five-year reunion, Sharpay was a recent A of U who was struggling to make as actor in New York City. She was essentially sleeping on the couch of her high school enemy and college friend Chad. The over achieving business major had a paid interned with a Manhattan Investment firm. They became friends in college because they were both business majors. Sharpay majored in business because she had no choice. Chad did the same because he had a knack for the industry.

She was no longer wealthy because her parents took her trust fund away when she decided not to go into the family business. The great irony was Ryan, a member of the dance troupe in DC, got to keep his trust fund. Her family was always one for double standards. She did not care. She did not want mommy's money anymore. Of course, she had to suffer through rude comments from Gabriella and Taylor about her no longer being one of the wealthy people. While Sharpay became a nicer person after graduation, the two girls seem to have the opposite problem.

At the 10-year reunion, she was in a much better place, at least financially. After three years of being a struggling actress in New York she finally got her big break. She was the lead character in the Broadway production_ American Pop Star. _Think of it as_ Dream Girls _with a Britney Spears twist. She did so great that she won a Tony award for her performance. Sharpay loved performing and always felt it was what God intended her to do. She finally had her Broadway dream and enjoyed showing that off to everyone. The only thing that didn't change in five years, was her living with Chad. They were still friends and roommates only or at least that's what they told themselves at the time. Although at that point with her starring on Broadway and him pulling in a six figure salary, they were in a trendy loft on the upper east side. They definitely can afford to live on their own. However, they use the fact that New York is a very lonely place to justify staying together. If only she saw the real reason then.

The thing was, she was not happy back then. She had the displeasure of watching Taylor and Gabriella show off their husbands and children. The whole experience made Sharpay very lonely. At that point in her life Sharpay just couldn't balance a romantic relationship and a career. Most guys couldn't handle her ambition. Her ideal of the night out at that point her life was eating take away after a performance with Chad. This loneliness at the 2018 reunion led to a temporary lapse in good judgment involving tequila, her ex high school boyfriend, a hotel room, and a latex allergy. The incident pretty much that derailed the life she was living at the time. However, thinking about it now, her life was derailed in a good way.

Now five years later she lives in New Mexico with her four-year-old son, two-year-old daughter, and her loving husband of four years. Granted they live in one of the largest houses in the best suburb inAlbuquerque. She manages a local theater company that puts on original productions. Her husband became the CEO of Evans Investments group upon Vince's retirement two years ago. He's always been a business genius.

Yet no matter how much she accomplished, she would never be good enough for some of the people at this table. As usual, they found something to criticize. The only people she actually wanted to talk to at this table besides her husband were Kelsey, Troy and his wife Oscar winning writer/director Natasha Bolton. Then again she actually spoke to them on a regular basis. She was just happy Martha managed to get Zeke move to a table on the other side of the venue without being overturned by the other two on the committee. If only they could kick Taylor or Gabriella out to make room for Martha.

"I just don't understand why you left Broadway just because you had a kid. I didn't leave politics just because I had Lincoln. I was actually pregnant on the campaign trail." Taylor said passing around a screen with the slide show of her son's greatest moments. Sharpay was convinced that Taylor viewed her children just like Darby viewed her and Ryan, as a little show dog to make herself look better to her little friends. Lincoln and Michelle were essentially props to Taylor to prove her stance on family values. Actually, Sharpay believed she treated her dog better in high school, than Taylor treated her children.

"What I don't understand is how you two had a four year old son. At the last reunion you two swore up and down that you were just friends." Gabriella said to the others at the table.

At the same time Gabriella's husband Eric, who Gabriella had to marry after an incident involving improperly used latex, snorted at her comment. Sharpay could not believe Gabriella chose that guy over Troy. Oh well, Natasha is such a great person and one of Sharpay's closest friends.

"Oh come on Gabriella, it was obvious five years ago that at the very least they were roommates with benefits. They were too close to be just friends." She should probably be annoyed at his crude comment, but she wasn't. Sometimes Sharpay wish that were the case back then. It was easier, to let people believe that was what happened. Unfortunately, the truth was a lot more complicated. However, as Sharpay laced her fingers with the person who truly got her, she realized would not have it any other way. That situation five years ago gave her the greatest gifts of all.

* * *

August 14, 2018

Chad Danforth despised his job. The fact that he was not getting out of the office until 8:00 PM was a sure sign that this job was sucking the soul out of him. In only a few years Chad became one of the top brokers at his firm. He had that wonderful quality of being able to make money without lying through his teeth. His clients actually trust him and he had a knack for finding good investments. Unfortunately Chad was the only one at his firm that could do that. Sometimes Chad felt like he was working at a sausage factory and the only thing keeping him there was his high six figure salary.

Unfortunately the only thing Chad really had was his job. He wasn't married to the love of his life like his best friend Troy. Nor did he have a job that he actually loved like his roommate/friend Sharpay. He Definitely didn't have a child like his ex girlfriend, who enjoyed parading her perfect little family on the web for her state senate bid. All Chad seem to have was this career that he absolutely hated. The only thing he had to look forward to was eating Chinese with Sharpay after she got back from her performance.

As he sat in the back of the cab Chad decided to watch the nightly news on his phone. He purposely avoided all the financial channels, he didn't want to hear anything about work until he arrived the next morning. Unfortunately he heard something even worse than massive deflation in Europe.

"This just in Broadway actress Sharpay Evans collapsed during tonight's performance of American pop star." Before he even realized he had the cab turnaround and take him straight Sharpay's hospital. Apparently for some unknown reason Sharpay's psychotic agent Liz kept the hospital from contacting him even though he was Sharpay's emergency contact.

When he walked into her hospital room, he instantly noticed her crying. He quickly walked up to her and put his arms around her. He was afraid that whatever caused her to pass out was bad. Like cancer bad. He was not sure if he could deal with losing her.

"Whatever it is, we will get through this together"

"I'm so glad you're here," she whispered into a shirt. "You have no idea how much I need you right now."

"How bad is it?" He asked in a whisper, not letting her go.

"According to Liz, it's the end of my career. I personally think it's wonderful."

"How can something be horrible and wonderful at the same time?" He asked her in confusion.

"In this situation Chad it all depends on your perspective. It turns out I am two months pregnant." He wasn't expecting that announcement.

"How exactly did you get pregnant?" With a schedule like Sharpay's relationships or random hookups were impossible.

"Well when a man and woman love each other or in this unfortunate case got totally plastered…"

"Very funny," Chad said cutting her off. "I know where babies come from. It's just that I haven't seen you date anybody in… actually I can't remember the last time either of us dated anyone." Every time Sharpay tried to date, it usually ended up with him consoling her over ice cream.

"You remember the high school reunion."

"I remember the reunion, where you snuck out with your ex boyfriend and didn't show back up to our hotel suite until 3:00 AM." Suddenly understanding dawn on him. "You got pregnant at are high school reunion by Zeke? You do realize he's married?" He was yelling at her at that point. How could she do something that stupid? Even in high school, Zeke was just trying to get in between her legs. He knew he should have warned her.

"Not at the time. You don't have to yell, Liz pretty much did it for you." She started crying harder as she said the words.

"I'm sorry," he said wiping away her tears again.

"Why are men assholes?"

"I cannot answer for my entire species, but I'm not one."

"You don't count." She said hugging him again.

"At least I know why you're crying now."

"Not really. I'm actually happy that I'm pregnant. I want to have a kid. This just was not how I wanted it to happen. I thought I would be married by now or at the very least have a steady boyfriend. Instead all I have is my career and in a little bit I won't have that."

"What are you talking about? They can't fire you for being pregnant. That is illegal in this country. The discrimination laws were improved during the Obama administration."

"On paper, that's true. Unfortunately, the entertainment industry is very different from all other industries. Liz pretty much came in here and told me that my career is over if I keep this kid.

"She told you to have an abortion?" Chad asked in shock.

"You know she would never tell me to do something that may tarnish my image. Apparently, this is a very high-risk pregnancy. I have to stay on my back for the next month if I don't want miscarry. She just wants me to continue as I have been and have a spontaneous miscarriage. She says the sympathy would make me more bankable." And Chad thought he worked with people with no morality whatsoever.

"Your agent is a very sick woman." Chad said kissing Sharpay on the forehead.

"I know. That's why she's not my agent anymore."

"What are you going to do?"

"The only thing I can."

* * *

August 16, 2018

Sharpay sat in her living room with Chad beside her watching a stream of entertainment net. The last two days Chad stayed home to keep an eye on her. He told her it didn't matter, because he could work just as easily from the apartment as the office. She thinks it's just an excuse for him not to deal with his coworkers.

"Today in Broadway News, the star of _American pop star_ Sharpay Evans has left the show suddenly citing personal reasons. This news comes less than 48 hours after she collapsed during Tuesday's performance. Many people believe an unspecified medical condition may have led to her sudden departure from the show."

This was followed by a clip of the show's producer trying to be sympathetic for the public. The day before the same man threatened to sue her for breach of contract, until Chad reminded him of the Jeremy Piven case nine years earlier. She hated that bastard. "I just want to say that the prayers of entire cast and crew with Sharpay during this time of crisis and hoped that she will join us again soon."

"They make it sound like I'm dying. As if I would ever go back to the production after I have the kid. Thank you for finding the loophole in my contract." Sharpay said to Chad as they continued to watch the news.

"Think nothing of it. My special skill is understanding contracts and finding ways around them. Don't be mad at the producers, nobody knows you're pregnant but me and your ex manager. There probably just trying to run the story in the best possible light to increased ticket sales. Have you even told your parents?"

"Please after what they did to me, I could care less what they think. Let them think I'm dying for all I care." Sharpay said in complete anger. After she became famous, her mother spent a large amount of time trying to get on Sharpay's good side. The woman was such a hypocrite.

"What about Ryan?"

"I will call him and tell them that I'm not dying. However, I want to wait until at least the 13th week to tell anyone. There's still a good chance I could miscarry."

"That's okay," Chad said as he grabbed her hand. "You're going to have to tell Zeke Eventually." Why did he have to remind her of that stupid human?

"I called him yesterday when you were dealing with the producers. Just in case the tabloids figured out what was going on." She could tell Chad noticed her anger instantly.

"What did he say?"

"He pretty much said the exact same thing Liz did. Except he suggested the more direct approach." She started to cry when she told him this. She cannot understand why everybody thought this baby was such a bad thing.

"Don't cry. I'm happy that you're pregnant and I'm going to be Uncle Chad. You are not going to go through this alone. I will be here the entire time. Things aren't that bleak. Although you probably won't be able to work till after the babies born, the apartment is paid for and your investments have provided you with quite a substantial nest egg."

"That's because I have the best broker ever." She said hugging him. She knew everything would be okay.

* * *

August 28, 2018

Chad had no idea why he decided to go with Sharpay to her doctor's Appointment. For some reason as soon as she told him what time the appointment was, he had his assistant William block out the time in his calendar. Now Chad sat holding Sharpay's hand as the technician ran the ultrasound device over Sharpay's stomach. The greatest advantage to modern ultrasound technology was you no longer needed to drink a gallon of water before the test. This was good because he could not deal with Sharpay stopping to go to the bathroom every 5 minutes.

Chad looked at the screen in pure wonder. For some odd reason, he really wished the child on the screen were his. He could not imagine anyone not wanting this little miracle. The technician must have noticed his expression.

"Most first time fathers have that look when they see their child for the first time." For some reason neither he nor Sharpay corrected the woman."

A few minutes later Dr. Alison Carol proceeded with the rest of the exam. Chad wondered when they got to the point in their relationship where Sharpay had no problem with him watching her get a gynecological exam. During the exam when Dr. Carol asked Chad if he was the father, Chad said yes. Sharpay looked shocked, but did not say anything until they got back to the loft.

"I can't believe you told my doctor the child is yours." Sharpay said smacking him on the arm.

"It's the perfect solution, especially if you want to revitalize your career after you have the baby. It is not as if Zeke is suddenly going to a man up and claim paternity. Besides there is a good chance that the baby will a lease look like someone who could possibly be my child. Good thing you did not sleep with Troy at the reunion." That remark got him a pillow. He would have to be more careful now due to the pregnancy hormones. And he thought she was a mountain lion in high school. This is going to be a very long pregnancy.

"You do not have to do this. This is my own fault."

"I want to. You are not the only one who want to have a white picket fence future. Just like you, I think I've been so married to my career, I haven't had time to find anyone to share my life. Besides I think you're the only woman he could handle my tendency to leave my close on the floor." She started giggling at that.

"So were actually going to do this together." Sharpay said hugging him

"I told you were all in this together."

"If you start yelling 'what team' I will throw another pillow at you." He kissed are on the forehead.

"I would never do that." Sharpay gave him that you're crazy look. "Okay, I don't do that anymore."

* * *

September 14, 2009

Now that they were at the 15th week mark and the Dr. told her that a miscarriage at this point was a much less likely, they decided it would be okay to start telling people about the pregnancy. They would start with the easiest person, her old high school friend Kelsey. Kelsey now wrote songs for pop stars who couldn't play their own instruments. She believed the story about Chad and Sharpay deciding to have a child together because they want to have a family and with their careers they had no time to meet anyone else. Then again, Kelsey actually believed that Ryan loved her in high school, when in reality she was just his cover.

The ultimate test would come tonight. Troy knew his best friend better than anyone else besides Sharpay. If anybody was not going to believe there lie, it was going to be Troy. There was also the added complication that Troy was much more familiar with the world of acting then there other friends. He had a starring role on the latest reincarnation of the old _Law and Order_ series. Troy was going to be aware that a planned pregnancy would be unlikely because of her contract. She was staring in a show where she was hanging on wires above the stage six days a week. That is not exactly a work environment conducive to a healthy pregnancy.

As she predicted Troy didn't believe them. "First of all I don't believe for one moment this was a planned pregnancy. Everybody in the industry knows that Sharpay didn't leave the production for medical reasons. They pretty much force you to leave. If this were planned, you would have had your contract adjusted so you could come back after the baby was born. They've already replaced you with our old classmate Tiara Gold."

"I can't believe I'm been replaced by that no talent ho. I swear she only got that role by auditioning on her back."

"Which again leads us back to the fact, that you and Chad did not plan this pregnancy."

"OK we didn't plan this. Thinking things through is it my best quality." Chad said to his friend. Sharpay couldn't agree more.

"So was this a case of faulty protection are no protection?"For some reason unknown to her Troy still believe the baby was Chad's. This was fine with her.

"More like a combination of latex allergies and Sharpay taking her birth control pills at different times every day." This was the truth of the situation. To bad Chad was not the one she had sex was.

"You think by now they can create a pill that would work if you take it at different times every day. I'm an actress that does not get home at the same time every day."

"That's why they printed the warning on the label." Natasha said from Troy sighed. Natasha and Troy married three years ago after they met when he guess start on the show she was writing on at the time. Natasha currently was a writer and a producer on the hit ABC drama _Lost in Manhattan._

"I knew this was going to happen eventually. You two just have a certain energy." Troy said taking another drink of his water.

"You mean you knew Chad was going to get me pregnant. It would have been helpful if you told me this a few months ago." Chad laughed at joke despite knowing the true circumstances of the conception.

"No, that you two would get together. You are both successful people, yet you're still roommates. There is no reason for you guys to still live together with your income. Yet you're still together for some unknown reason." Troy said to the couple.

"Did you expect us to believe the 'where just roommates' excuse forever. I have never seen two people more in love in my entire life. I'm just so happy you two finally figured it out." Natasha added to her husband's comments. If it was not for the fact that Sharpay was a trained actor, her mouth would have been on the floor. As it was, Chad could not stop coughing. Apparently, his water went down the wrong way.

* * *

October 20 2018

Chad and Sharpay decided to take the new Excela train down to DC for the day. It actually took them less time to get to DC, then it took them to take metro to Bethesda where Ryan was choreographing a revival of Rent. Chad decided to force Sharpay into to tell her brother about the pregnancy. Especially considering the fact now that she was signed on for a five-episode ark on _Lost in Manhattan, _after the Dr. gave her the OK. During February sweeps, most of America will find out that Sharpay is pregnant. It would probably be best if Ryan didn't find out while streaming his favorite show.

They could not decide whether to tell Ryan the excuse they told Kelsey or the version of the truth that Troy believed. When they accidentally walked into the theater holding hands, the decision had been made for them.

"Thank god you two finally got together." Ryan said as he hugged his sister and the man that he assumed to be her boyfriend. Although the maternity dress kept him from noticing his pregnant sister immediately, he definitely felt the baby when he hugged her.

"You're pregnant!" Ryan remarked in shock.

"What gave it away, the maternity outfit or the fact that she's no longer skinny as a pole?" Chad remarked sarcastically.

"I guess congratulations are in order. When's the big day?"

"The baby is due on March 2." Sharpay answered her brother.

"I was asking about the wedding." Ryan shot back At his sister

"Do you see any engagement ring?" Sharpay asked her brother in annoyance.

"I figured since Chad is an old fashion guy, he wants to marry the mother of his child."

"Unfortunately she said no." That was not a complete lie. A couple of days ago Chad asked her to marry him in a half joking way. Sharpay said there was no way she was marrying him because he was her babies daddy. He considering it a good sign that she forgot about the actual paternity.

"Come on one of us should get married." Ryan said in a whiny voice.

"Its 2018"

"Your point is? You would look fabulous a wedding dress."

"I would look like an elephant in white."

"Sister, I think it's a little too late for a white wedding dress." That remark led to her throwing a dance shoe at her brother's head.

"Did I forget mention that her temper is even shorter now that she's pregnant?"

* * *

Fortunately, Chad was able to get Sharpay to calm down after her little spat with Ryan for the three of them to go to dinner before they had to take the train back home. No more comments were made about marriage, pregnancy, or Sharpay's wacky hormones. Although she did have fun ordering the strangest thing of on the menu, just to creep Ryan out. Chad was used to her crazy cravings already.

Sharpay was currently lying on Chad's bed as he gently traced her stomach with his fingers. Even before she got pregnant, it was not that unusual for the two to share a bed. Even in college there were few times they ended up sharing, when they crashed after an intense night of studying. Although recently it seemed like every day, they ended up sharing a bed. This was probably because it was easier for Sharpay to make him get her chunky chip ice cream with dill pickle potato chips in the middle of the night, if they were in the same bed.

"Why does everybody think we're together?" Sharpay asked as she leaned back into him.

"I don't know. It may have something to do with the fact that we're telling everybody that your carry my child." Chad answered her with his usual biting sarcasm.

"Nobody shocked. Everybody were close to, said they saw this coming for a long time."

"That's because most people believe that a man and a woman cannot be friends without sexual feelings developing eventually." Sharpay decided not to mention that recurring fantasy she had involving Chad and handcuffs. It was inevitable she would have fantasies about him because he was hot and the only person that she really trusted. She would blame the pregnancy hormones if it wasn't for the fact she had these occasional fantasies sense college.

"Chad the people in your office had a betting pool going on when we waited finally get together. Your assistant wants to throw our baby shower. The lady down the street at the coffee shop was so happy when we finally got together. Our next-door neighbor thought we were already married. She just assumed we were keeping it quiet because of my career. Why does everybody think we're together?"

"I have no idea." Chad said as he kissed her on the forehead. "You got to admit this is making it a lot easier to pass this child off as mine."

"This child is yours." Sharpay said as she finally fell asleep for the night.

November 21 2018

"I don't know why you waited this long to tell your parents. You realize there is very good chance that your child may still end up fatherless by the end of our time in Albuquerque. Your daddy is going to kill me." Sharpay had no idea why Chad was so worried. If anybody was going to be dead by the end of this trip it was going to be her. Sharpay's relationship with her parents has been a very rocky sense six years ago when she decided to go to New York with Chad instead of work at Evans investments. They had no problem telling Chad's mother months ago. Chad's mother was definitely looking for it to being a grandmother.

"My dad loves you. It's going to be fine." Sharpay said grabbing his hand and kissing him on the cheek.

"Your daddy loved me when I was a star basketball player for his school. He hated me when I took his only daughter to New York. The fact that he believes I got her pregnant is going to put me in the grave." Chad said in all seriousness.

"Daddy will do no such thing. Besides they're not going to hurt us when they realize where in love." Sharpay said with a smirk. A few weeks ago they decided the best thing to do was start playing into everyone's assumption that they were already a couple. This meant lots of impromptu make out sessions. She was a trained actor and could handle herself. She convinced herself that it was perfectly normal that they were making excuses to make out in the apartment when they were completely alone.

An hour after they arrived at the mansion things were going as badly as expected. Sharpay his dad was okay with this situation, although he did mention the lack of wedding ring. Unfortunately, Darby could not stop crying because her baby was having a baby what a member of the newly rich. That was one of the nicer things Darby said about Chad. Sharpay was so mad at Darby's nasty comments that She purposely made out with Chad any chance she got just to make Darby angry. She was currently sitting on Chad's lap while kissing him. This was difficult with her being almost six months pregnant. Sharpay wasn't going to let anybody say something nasty about the father of her child.

"You know if I knew you were going to do this, I would have suggested going to see your parents months ago." Chad said breaking apart from their very heated make out session. Considering Chad's physical reaction to her, she was sure this stopped being a stage kiss a good half an hour ago.

"She just makes me so mad. You are like the best boyfriend I have ever had and we're not even dating. Sharpay said the last part softly so only Chad could hear. Chad leaned into her and placed a gentle kisses on her neck.

"This doesn't have to be pretend," Chad whispered to her.

So shocked by his words, she quickly got off him. This was difficult to do because again she was very pregnant.

"I'm sorry I said that. Can we just pretend I didn't say that?"

"Not going to happen," Sharpay said grabbing him by the hand and dragging him upstairs to her old bedroom. She quickly locked the door to make sure no one would interrupt.

"Do you really want to try this? If this was seven months ago I probably would've jumped you the moment we stepped in the room. However, there's a kid involved now. We can't just break up if things don't work. I don't think I can deal with losing my best friend and my child's father at the same time." Before she could protest, his mouth was on her and she back was slowly making contact with the mattress. This position didn't quite work because again she was very pregnant. They were both laughing at the physical awkwardness of the situation..

"Yes I want to try this. Just so you know, I've been in love with you for a very long time." Chad said kissing her once more. "Do you want to try this Sharpay? Because this isn't going to be a casual relationship. This is going to be a white picket fences and wedding dresses relationship. This is going to be forever. Are you ready for that?"

"Only if it is with you." Sharpay said kissing him again as she tried to find the best position to be with him without her giant stomach getting in the way. "Maybe we should pick up a book or two. I have no idea what positions will work with me being pregnant. This is more awkward than my first time." He laughed at that comment.

"Fortunately for you I always come prepared." Chad said with a wicked smile.

"I seriously doubt we need condoms at this point. Since I know for a fact we're both clean and I can't exactly get pregnant."

"Look in the suitcase Sharpay."

"Find" she said giving him another little kiss on the lips.

"101 ways to please you're pregnant lover. Somebody was doing some serious wishful thinking this weekend." Sharpay said as she found Chad's reading material.

"I pick that up, when I got the rest of the pregnancy books months ago. You know that they were all right about us. It was just a matter of time before we figured it out.

"Definitely," Sharpay said as she decided what she wanted to try from the book. That night Chad tried ways one through six on Sharpay. Sharpay screamed as loud as possible just for the sake of getting back at her mom. Who knew revenge could be so enjoyable.

* * *

November 22, 2018

Chad was quietly drinking his morning cup of coffee and going over his various accounts via his blackberry. He loved modern technology. He could work just as effectively lying in bed next to Sharpay as actually being in office. Actually, Chad works better when Sharpay was around. Chad woke up early to make some investments of various foreign markets since the U.S. Stock market was closed today. More accurately, Chad did not exactly go to sleep last night. He was too high on his new girlfriend, even after he made love to her for hours. An hour ago Sharpay kick out of bed, telling him to do something else to burn off his excess energy. However at this point He was sure he would crash any moment. This is why he is mainlining coffee.

When Chad started drinking his third cup of the morning, Mr. Evans walked into the room.

"I'm surprised to see you conscious this morning." Mr. Evans said to Chad as he gave him 'I know you just did my daughter" look.

"So am I. That is why I'm drinking my third cup of coffee, while I wait for the numbers from the British stock exchange."

"You know I even let my employees take the holidays off."

"You are still a human being. I am not completely sure about my bosses anymore. We're already having an uphill battle about paternity leave. I have a good six months of vacation time saved up that I never got to use. I want to take an extended leave of absence when the baby is born. I will be lucky if they'll let me have a week off. I hate that place. Unfortunately, it's not exactly the right time to quit. Sharpay is already planning to take an extended leave from the stage. With the baby coming, we need to be at least a one income family." If Chad ever had to choose between Sharpay and their family or his job she and their child would always come first.

"That's exactly why you should leave. You have made quite a name for yourself in the industry. There's probably dozens of companies willing to take you"

"My reputation would be nothing, once my boss finds out that I'm looking for another job." Chad said having seen firsthand what Mr. Dewitt did to those who tried to leave the firm.

"Not if the job is with your almost father-in-law."

"What?"

"I want you to work for my company. You are one of the best minds in business."

"I don't know if I want to be another employee at your firm."

"You wouldn't be another employee; you would be a vice president." This was the job offer of a lifetime.

"I have to talk to Sharpay first. Even though things went badly, I know she wants to go back to the stage eventually. If I force her to come here, I would feel like I was killing her Broadway dream. We have to make this decision together."

"That's why I'm not furious that you got my little girl pregnant. Although, I would like to know when the wedding is coming."

"I ask your daughter again, last night and she said no." That was true, although Sharpay's reason for saying no, was they just started dating.

* * *

December 14, 2018

Sharpay was waiting for Chad at Lewis, a trendy restaurant down the street from Chad's office. Ever since they returned from New Mexico, Chad has been more agitated with his job. Maybe it was because he actually had a reason to come home on time now. She knew that the job offer from her father was making it harder for him to work it that horrible place. If he accepted the position, it would make him the youngest vice president in the company's history. No one deserves that honor more than him. However, she knew he wouldn't take it because of her. He was too afraid it would kill her Broadway dream. The truth of the matter is she didn't want that dream anymore. She just wanted him happy.

Unfortunately, she was brought out of her musings by the presence of the one person she never wanted to see again. Who just happened to bump right into her table.

"What are you doing here and why are you still pregnant?"

"I guess you forgot that I live with Chad in Manhattan. As for the pregnancy when have I ever done something just because I'm told?"

"Hey baby, I'm so glad I got away from the eighth circle of hell." Chad said giving her one of his very special makes you melt into a puddle kiss. She wasn't completely sure he was aware of Zeke's presents. Then again, that might be why Chad is giving her a kiss that makes her want to sneak off to the ladies room with him.

"How's our little guy doing?" Chad said gently touching her stomach.

"Let me guess, she told you were the father to." Zeke said in annoyance.

"I know I'm the father. Unfortunately, the DNA is all yours. Not that I Care, that wonderful being in there is _my _child."

"Zeke, as far as I'm concerned you were nothing more than a sperm donor. This baby is Chad's. He loves me and he love this child." Sharpay said as Chad's arms tightened around her, giving her his strength to continue. "That is something I could never say for you. Go back to your wife. You can stop by my lawyer's office tomorrow to sign the papers to terminate your parental rights." Sharpay said handing him the address to the lawyer.

A few minutes later, they walked out of the restaurant due to the unpleasant atmosphere. Instead, they were now eating pizza at her favorite place a few blocks away.

"You know you're like the best boyfriend ever right?" She said kissing him once more.

"I know."

"I also know that you would do anything for the two of us. Even stating at a job you absolutely despised just so we can stay in New York. I know about the job offer. I when you take it."

"What about your acting career? Albuquerque isn't known for being a center for the arts."

"We will think of something. Besides I think I want to have as much mommy time as possible with our child and I can't do that doing six shows a week."

"You love New York City."

"I love you and our child more. I do not want to raise our kid here. Our child needs to know what it's like to have a front lawn and camp out in the backyard."

"Did you actually do that?" Chad asked her in surprise

"Every summer from 6 to 12 at the country club."

"Of course you did your camping out a country club." He said with a light chuckle.

"What does that mean?"

"Nothing" he said quickly kissing her. "I love you."

* * *

January 26, 2019.

Chad could not believe they managed to uproot their entire life in less than two months. After he and Sharpay decided to go back to Albuquerque, he went back into his office and quit his job. Mr. Dewitt yelled at him and told them he would never work in this town again. Chad told them him was OK because he would be the vice president of Evans investment group which was conveniently located in another town. The person almost went into cardiac arrest. When they went to visit Albuquerque for Christmas they manage to find the perfect house in the suburbs.

Now they were sitting in the middle of their welcome back house party/baby shower. Even though Darby was a very evil person, she was great at throwing a party. Martha Cox was the only person there that they actually knew, that he did not fly in specifically for the party. That was probably because she was the event planner. After college, Martha started her own events and wedding planning business after planning her own wedding that fell apart. She was the best event planner in all of New Mexico. Out of the entire group, Martha was the only one who stayed in Albuquerque.

"Chad stood in back watching Sharpay open the gifts. Chad was supposed to be up there with Sharpay, but Ryan said it would be more dramatic if he were not with her when she got her special present. Instead, he was hanging in the back with Troy and Ryan.

"I can't believe you're going to do this at the baby shower, in front of all of moms stuck up friends?"

"That's the main reason for doing it here. Are you sure she doesn't suspect anything?

"Other than her asking questions about why Kelsey, Natasha, and I are here, not really. I told her that Natasha was scouting locations for her first film project this summer and I came with her to visit my parents. Unfortunately, Kelsey came with her own alibi. You know her mom is in the hospital. She would've been here anyway. At lease this way she has something happy to look forward to."

"Which box did you hide it in?" Ryan asked Chad in anticipation.

"It's in the gift bag with the teddy bears. Martha will give her the bag, after the next box."

"Good luck," Troy said patting him on the back.

"I hope she says yes this time," Ryan said quietly to himself

As on cue, they heard the shrieks coming from Sharpay as she pulled out the beautiful Tiffany engagement ring. Chad quickly walked up to where Sharpay was sitting.

"Is this what I think it is?"

"You've given me the two most precious things on earth. You gave your love and you gave me our child. Now I want to give you my heart, my love, and my devotion. Sharpay Evans will you marry me?" She was crying this time. He hoped that was a good sign.

"Yes," she said grabbing the ring from him and kissing him in front of everyone. So wrapped up in each other they did not notice Darby fainting in the back of the room.

* * *

February 14, 2019

Sharpay Evans was looking forward to having the perfect wedding. The only day she ever wanted to get married on was February 14, Valentine's Day. Unfortunately there was no way she was going to wait an entire extra year just to marry Chad. Thankfully, they have the world's greatest wedding planner In Martha Cox. In less than three weeks, she managed to put together a fairy tale dream Sharpay always won it for her wedding. The dress was fabulous. Apparently, Natasha used one of her industry contacts to get the perfect maternity wedding dress. The ceremony was beautiful with Chad and her writing their own vowels. Now they were at the reception at Lava Springs. Chad spent some of the drive joking about the summer she tortured him when he was a lowly busboy. Now slightly less than 12 years later Chad was the vice president of the parent company and married to the CEOs daughter. Chad Danforth definitely moved up in the world. Of course, this was after she took him up on his suggestion of consummating the marriage in the back seat on the way to the country club. This was something she could only pull off because of her years of being a dancer.

As they took their first dance as husband and wife there was just ones tiny problem.

"Are you okay?" Chad asked his wife when he noticed her discomfort.

"I'm fine maybe it wasn't such a good idea to have a wedding this late into my pregnancy."

"You're probably right or maybe it was the quickie in the limo." She smacked him for that comment, hoping no one else over heard it.

"Please tell me again why I married you?"

"You love me."

"I have to. There could be no other reason why I put up a you." As soon as they made it to the dance floor Sharpay was doubled over in pain screaming.

"You're not OK. Exactly how fast have these pains been coming? Chad asked as Martha and Natasha ran up to them.

"I don't think it matters anymore because my water just broke. Great only I would go into labor at my wedding"

"It's OK. With the wedding date being so close to your due date, I planned in case you went into labor. This is it people, we have a code stork. Prepare the contingency plan." Martha called into her earpiece.

"You planned in case she went into labor. You are like the best wedding planner ever. " Natasha commented as they made their way out of the ballroom. "You could make a small fortune in New York."

"Honey we are talking about a woman he managed to organize 30+ dancers been under a hour for our senior production in high school. She could do anything." Troy said to his wife as they waited for the ambulance to show up.

* * *

February 15, 2019

At exactly 2 minutes to midnight, Joshua Zion Danforth came screaming into the world. Just in time to have the same birthday as his parents' wedding. Chad was currently holding his son while his wife lay down unconscious, recovering from several hours of labor. At least twice during labor, she threatened to cut off a certain appendage if he got her pregnant again.

Several hours later, one by one all of his child's uncles and aunts entered into the room for their first look.

"He looks so much like you, Chad." Ryan said as he held his nephew for the very first time.

"My question is why the middle name Zion. Neither you nor Sharpay are very religious." Kelsey asked Chad and Sharpay.

"When they were taking me to the hospital after I fainted, the song To Zion was playing in the ambulance. Hearing a fellow performer sing about going through the same situation that I found myself in helped me to make my decision when the doctor told me I was pregnant."

"Besides my son is the greatest gift anybody could ever give me." Chad was seriously contemplating sending Zeke a gift basket to thank him for being a complete ass. Because his failurer to act like a man, he gave Chad everything he ever wanted.

* * *

June 17, 2023

Zeke Baylor had no idea why he decided to go to his 15th high school reunion. He knew there was no way he would have a repeat of what happened at their last reunion five years ago. Apparently, Sharpay was happily married to Chad with two children and was obviously pregnant with their third child. All his friends from high school, at least those still talking to him, kept talking about the very public demise of his marriage. Apparently, your wife presenting you divorce papers during a live segment of your cooking show has a tendency to be quite memorable. He was currently hiding in the men's room to avoid talk of his divorce or witnessing Sharpay's happy marriage. Unfortunately, Chad chose that moment to walk into the men's room.

"I was looking for you. I really want to talk to you." Zeke seriously wondered about what. He hadn't seen Sharpay or Chad since he signed over his parental rights to the man in front of him.

"I'm listening."

"I just want to say thank you. Because you were such a self serving prick five years ago, I now have a beautiful wife, two wonderful children, and the twins on the way." Chad said as he pulled a screen out of his pocket. "That beautiful boy that you didn't want, is my son. I love him just as much as my other children. Thank you for giving my wife and I the wonderful gift of our son." With that, Chad promptly walked out of the room leaving Zeke in complete shock.


	9. If Life Were a Game of Cards S&T&C

Thank you to everyone who read the last Story.

Chapter 9: If Life Were a Game of Cards

Summary: If Troy Bolton knew then what he knew now, he wouldn't be watching his former best friend sticking his tongue down Sharpay Evans throat.

**Main characters: Chad, Troy, and Sharpay (It's just too complicated to do pairings because within the course of this story ****every ****single possible combination between the three will either be explored, mentioned, or hinted at.)**

Story will include cameos from Taylor, Gabriella, and Kelsey

Sequel to Dirty Sharpay and Diana's Revenge

Inspired by If I Knew Then by the Backstreet Boysoff the new album This Is Us

**When I heard this song for the first time I knew it was perfect for the sequel**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything including the song being used.**

**I will admit that I broke the rules for this story. The computer originally chose another Backstreet Boys song called **_**In Pieces**_**. I started working on a story about how Troy and Sharpay would deal with life after losing their best friend and husband respectively after dies in a tragic accident. While I was outlining the story, I realized it would be way too long for this series. Also, I started breaking into tears every time I started writing. Therefore, I let the computer draw another Backstreet Boys song randomly to substitute. If anybody is interested in that story, let me know and I might consider developing it as my next chapter story if I can get through the prologue without crying.**

**If I Knew Then**

But there ain't no handbook  
You're on your own  
Got no instructions  
When it comes to love  
Cuz once you do something  
Can't be undone  
Wish I could take back  
Letting you go

If I knew then  
What I know now  
I wouldn't have said  
I don't need you around  
Alone in this mess  
Silence is so loud  
So I would treat you the best  
Baby if I knew then  
What I know now (What I know now)

* * *

Troy had no idea why he even bothered coming to his 10-year reunion. Maybe it had something to do with his father forcing him out of the house. Troy pretty much disconnected himself from his old life. Looking back at it now, he got too caught up in being famous. He threw himself into his work and now that was all he had. Due to several catastrophic events in his personal life, he decided to take some time off from being **Troy Bolton superstar**. He was back in Albuquerque staying with his dad, in hopes of hiding from the media and the disaster that was his life. Troy was currently at his high school reunion torturing himself with physical evidenced of all his stupid decisions over the last 10 years that brought him to this point in his life.

He remembered the missing the five year reunion because he was touring Japan with his first album. Gabriella he soon to be ex wife, went to the reunion by herself. She never really mentioned anything about what their old classmates were doing. Although at that time, he was probably too self-involved to actually care. Maybe that is why he is getting divorced at 28.

Other than his soon to be ex wife, the only people from high school he stayed in contact were Chad and Sharpay. Not that he let himself really get to know Sharpay until it was too late. However, falling in love with someone and fathering her daughter probably should count as contact. The whole Sharpay situation was another contributing factor to his divorce. However, the major factor was currently dancing inappropriately with Gabriella. Leaving your wife alone for months at a time, as you are touring the world tends to results in her looking for love in other places. Currently that place is her new 21-year-old boyfriend Seven.

Not that he can say anything, considering he has a five month old daughter that he never met by Sharpay Evans. He did not know about Jackie until a few months ago when he went to meet his oldest friend's new fiancée only to find out that Chad was a marrying the woman that Troy fell in love with. A woman who apparently has gotten tired of being Troy's dirty little secret. A woman who decided it would be better to raise his daughter with his best friend acting as her dad.

Apparently they both felt he was too big of a self involve asshole to have anything to do with his daughter or them for that matter. Therefore, because of his stupidity he lost his best friend, Sharpay and their child. He hasn't spoken to Sharpay or Chad since that night.

Two days later when he told Gabriella about the whole situation he expected her to throw a fit. Instead she calmly told him about Seven, Tracy, David and all of her other significant others over the last seven years. If there was a moment in his life that he really needed a best friend, it would be when he found out his entire marriage was a complete joke. Unfortunately, his best friend thinks he is a self serving prick and Troy couldn't help but agree right now.

If Troy Bolton knew then what he knew now, he wouldn't be watching his former best friend sticking his tongue down Sharpay Evans throat. He wouldn't be watching his soon to be ex wife grinding with a 21 year old on the dance floor. He definitely wouldn't be wondering what his daughter looked like. If he could go back, there were so many things he would change starting with ever dating Gabriella Montez in the first place. It's not like he could change the past. He made his choices and therefore he decided to drown his sorrow in a really good bottle of bourbon.

"Exactly how many of those have you had tonight?" Asked a voice that was familiar, but different. Taylor McKessie had definitely changed over the years. She was definitely a grownup now. Her hair was longer. Gone were the jackets and bargain close replaced with the latest high end fashion that show a tiny amount of cleavage. Overtime, like everyone else he lost track of Taylor McKessie. Even though Taylor and Gabriella were best friends in high school they lost touch sometime around when Taylor switched to journalism during her sophomore year. Last he heard she was working for some really big paper in the DC area.

"Four, maybe five, but I'm really not counting. I'm going for a numbing effect." Troy said downing his shot in one drink.

"Would this have anything to do with my ex best friend Gabriella playing tonsil hockey with the kindergartner?" He could not help but laugh at that. He wanted to tell Taylor that his current drinking binge was triggered by his ex best friend playing tonsil hockey with the mother of his child. That's probably not something you should tell somebody when you see them for the first time in nine years.

"I really don't care what Gabriella does anymore. If I had my wish, after the divorce hearing I would never see her again. The only thing I regret at this point is marrying Gabriella in the first place. We were too young and too stupid to know the difference between infatuation and anything of substance. I'm not even sure if I ever loved her." Troy said this as he held the glass in his hand.

"See this is exactly why I'm not getting married any time soon. I just don't like the thought of crying into my drink."

"Did you ever look back at your life and wish you did things differently? Now knowing the true consequences of your actions, would you make completely different choices if you could?

"You mean like letting your ex boyfriend talk you into the burying the story of his "special friend's" pregnancy. That decision got me fired from the media company that I worked for. You must be really disconnected from the industry at the moment, if you did not recognize the newest member of the MTV News family. It was the only semi legitimate news organization that would hire me. At least all get to have fun with choose or lose 2020."

"I probably should not be having heart to heart with you, if I don't want this to be on your blog tomorrow."

"Please, if I was going to stab my friends in the back for a story, I would've ran with the fact that Sharpay's daughter has your eyes a long time ago. Everything's said here is off the record."

"I wouldn't know, things got too tense before I even got to see a picture. This is such a mess." He said almost on the verge of tears.

"Okay apparently you are a depressed drunk." Taylor said grabbing the bottle away from him.

"I'm not drunk, I'm just slightly inebriated.

"Either way this is not a conversation we should be having in public. Follow me and leave your drink behind." She said as she grabbed him and led him away to his home away from home for four years the gymnasium.

"I figure this would be a better place to have this conversation. So why exactly does Sharpay's child look like you despite the fact that she is engaged to Chad?"

"It is a long story," Troy said with a sigh.

"We have time. They have not even started giving the superlatives out yet."

"I am sure to win for most screwed up life. My best friend is no longer talking to me because as he put it I'm too itself involved to care about anyone but myself. Of course this is after I find out he's marrying Sharpay, who I've been sleeping with often on for years."

"Sleeping around with various fan girls would definitely put a strain on your marriage to Gabriella. At least that explains why Gabriella is dating someone barely old enough to drink that is named after a number."

"It was only Sharpay. I don't make a habit of sleeping with random fan girls contrary to what Chad and Sharpay believe. That should have told me it was more than just sex with Sharpay. It was just easier to pretend it was. Then maybe I wouldn't feel like I was stabbing Gabriella in the back every time I was with Sharpay. Unfortunately, I didn't figure that out until she and Chad decided to get married and raise my child together. I didn't even know their relationship was that serious, considering they were still seeing other people."

"Trust me you're not the only person surprised by the wedding announcement. That relationship has always been a bit on the strange side. Essentially they've been friends with benefits for the last nine years, except they never really dated other people." He knew Chad and Sharpay had a sexual relationship, despite Sharpay's claims that they were just friends. He always assumed it was a more recent development. Chad didn't mention anything about sleeping with Sharpay until two years ago. If their relationship started nine years ago, that meant Chad's relationship with Sharpay predated his by almost five years.

"I didn't know about that. Chad and I talk to each other every day back then and he didn't mention anything about sleeping with Sharpay. We used to tell each other everything. When did that change?"

"I'm thinking the same time you became too afraid to talk about the things going on in both of their lives or maybe it had something to do with you leaving him for Gabriella.

"I didn't leave him for Gabriella."

"Yeah you did and your relationship hasn't been the same sense than. Don't be upset if I go into reporter mode. What are you more upset about: the breakup of your marriage, not speaking to Chad, Sharpay deciding to marry someone else, or the fact that Sharpay wants you to sign over your parental rights?"

"Not Gabriella, that's the only thing I'm sure of at this point. Everything else, I'm not sure what hurts more. I pretty much regret the entire situation. I just wish I could go back and do everything differently. Did you ever wish life is like a game you could just restart it if you made a mistake?"

"Unfortunately life is not a game. What is done, is done. You can't change the past. The question now is what are you going to do now? Do you really want to go your whole life without knowing your daughter? Do you want to lose your best friend over this disaster? You finally figured out that you love Sharpay, unfortunately, it's too late. Now the crucial question is would you rather have her as a friend than nothing at all? What are you going to do to fix this?" All of Taylor's questions made perfect sense.

"It would be so much easier if Sharpay was marrying someone else.

"Then you would have no problems whatsoever trying to break up the engagement." Taylor answered for him

"Exactly, except because it Chad there's no way I'm going to do that." Troy said with a sigh.

"Because you love both of them very much and you can't hurt them" Even though his mind was clouded by alcohol her word shocked at him.

"I'm not saying anything about how you love him. I'm just saying that you do. That's what makes this situation so complicated. You love both of them and you can't hurt either of them. So you decide to hurt yourself instead."

"You're right, I do love both of them. That is why it may be best if I just stay away."

"I don't think that's the right choice. My suggestion is you stop drinking yourself into a stupor and go talk to Chad and Sharpay. What you want to happen is off the table. However, maybe there's something else. If you don't do something now, this will become another one of those things you wish you could change." He knew she was right.

"I'm going to go back to the reunion. If you need someone to talk to here's my cell number." Taylor said giving him her business card. "Wait, one last thing. You said you didn't get to see a picture because things went so bad." Taking out her wallet she pulled out the picture of the most beautiful little girl he ever saw. "This is your daughter Jacqueline Ryan Evans. She definitely has your eyes. It's kind of funny she looks more like her uncle then her mom. I can't believe he's been gone for nearly five years. I miss Ryan so much sometimes." Taylor said as she walked out the door leaving him with the photographs of his daughter.

He remembered Chad calling him about Ryan and Mr. Evans death in a car accident. Although he didn't think it was nearly five years ago, it had to be closer to four. He remembered not been able to go to the funeral because he was on the last leg of his North American tour. He would be in the studio a month later working on his second album. That was around the time Sharpay ambushed him in elevator. That's when the final piece in the puzzle came together and he realized how truly badly he screwed up.

* * *

Chad sat in the back as he watched his fiancée pretty much tear into Gabriella Bolton soon to be Montez again. Even though Sharpay was mad at Troy, she didn't appreciate Gabriella flaunting her new boyfriend before the divorce papers were even signed. Currently the fight was just verbal.

"I see I came back just in time for the bloodshed. Shouldn't you break them up?"

"Not really. If half the stuff posted on _Us Weekly_ is true, she deserves everything she gets. How's he doing?"

"You know you could just ask him yourself instead of sending me to talk to him. However, because you are too big of a coward to face your best friend of 25 years , I will tell you that he is okay with the divorce. He only regrets marrying her in the first place and he is convinced he never actually loved her.

"Then why is he hiding out here in Albuquerque and drinking himself into a stupor at the reunion?"

"He's ok with Gabriella, he's not okay with you and Sharpay, and not in an 'I lost her' way, more like an 'I lost them' way. This is one very complicated triangle of pain. You three managed to get yourself in a very tricky situation. This is why you should tell your friends who you're in love with." Taylor said as she smacked him upside the head.

"Another case of if I knew then what I know now."

"As I told your friend a few minutes ago you can't change the past you can only change the future. My suggestion is that you go to the gym and talk this out like two people who actually care about each other. You wouldn't have sent me to talk to him if you weren't worried. I'll keep your future wife from being brought up on charges of homicide, while you man up and talked your friend."

"Were you always like this?"

"Pretty much, you know you prefer your women aggressive.

10 minutes later Chad found himself walking into the gymnasium. Chad found the situation similar to 10 years ago when Troy found him shooting out his frustrations after he heard his best friend was ditching him for Gabriella. He wondered if Troy thought he was leaving him for Sharpay. Things went pretty bad the night they told him about Jackie. They all said a lot of things that they should not have said.

"Hey didn't we do this once before." Chad said taking the ball right out of Troy's hands.

"Except you were the one sulking last time." Troy said trying to get the ball away from Chad.

"I do not sulk," Chad said borrowing Sharpay's pout.

"Yes you do," Troy said as he made a shot.

"It seems that the pop star still as game." Chad said as he caught the ball.

"I have to do something when I'm on the road. Contrary to popular, believe I wasn't screwing every single groupie that proposition me in elevators. The only person I've ever slept with besides Gabriella has been Sharpay." Troy said as they continued to play.

"We both know you're not like that. We were just really pissed off at you. We all says things that maybe we shouldn't."

"I can understand why you guys were upset. I pretty much accused Sharpay of doing the exact same thing even though I knew it wasn't true. Although you guys might want to get tested anyway. I wasn't sleeping around with everyone, but my wife was. It turns out my marriage was much more open than I thought it was. Seven is just her current significant other. Because we were both sleeping around we both violated the prenuptial agreement she gets half of everything."

"You know, you could have called. Even though I was still pissed that you I would've been there. Considering the fact that by now Sharpay is probably embedding a designer shoe into your future ex wife head, I think she would be there too." He know this Troy crack a smile at that.

"That I really want to see." Troy said with a smile. "Considering what happened I wasn't sure. I just like to apologize for being in ass hole."

"You don't have to apologize. I kind of already forgave you on the car ride home that night."

"When did we stop being friends?" Chad did not expect that question.

"We never stopped." Chad said as he made another shot.

"Yes we did. At some point, we stop telling each other stuff. We stopped trusting each other. I had no idea that you and Sharpay had actually been together for nine years."

"Actually it's 11. We only told Taylor 9, so she wouldn't get upset."

"What you mean 11 years? Weren't you dating Taylor back then?" Troy was in such shock that Chad was easily able to steal a ball from him.

"If Sharpay truly want something there's just no way to stop her. Let's just say there's a reason why I was not really upset about the elevator incident."

"You mean other than the fact it was Sharpay's reaction to the death of her brother and father. I should've known something was going on." He was shocked that Troy figured it out the real trigger for Sharpay's indiscretions with Troy. Every time Sharpay slept with Troy, it was near the anniversary of Ryan death or on Ryan's birthday. The great irony was Jackie was conceived on the third anniversary of Ryan's death.

"When did you figure that out? Sharpay hasn't figured that out yet." Chad shock gave Troy the perfect opportunity the still the ball away.

"I think about 15 minutes ago."

"At least you figured it out before she did."

"So exactly what happened 11 years ago that you never told me about?

"Do you remember that party that Ryan and Sharpay threw for everybody after the talent show?"

"Vaguely"

"While you and she who will not be named were making out in the pool with all your close on Sharpay ran away because she couldn't take it. I found her crying in her suite a few minutes later. We started talking and then she kissed me. The next thing I know we're losing our virginity to each other." The basketball fell out of Troy's hands when Chad told him this.

"This was not a onetime thing was it?" Troy said trying to recover the ball

"Not really, after that point are encounters usually occurred in the locker room and the dressing rooms. In college, we just stopped hiding what we're doing."

"You guys hated each other senior year. How could all this happens without me knowing about it?"

"You were too busy making out with Gabby at the time to realize it was all a cover. On the outside, everybody believed we hated each other. Truth was we were. Okay I'm not even sure what we were back then. Just friends doesn't work and lovers is kind of an understatement. Nor were we dating at the time. Our relationship has always been a very complicated."

"Like any relationship with Sharpay Evans could ever be simple? What about the fainting spell?

"Pregnancy scare. Although as it turned out, that was not even a possible. Let's just say Jackie is gonna be the closest I ever have to having my own child." Chad said in a whisper.

"If I can still be Uncle Troy, I'm okay with you raising Jackie. You're the only person I would trust her with. I just don't want to be completely out of her life."

"I'm sure we can work something out. We both want you there. We were just really angry that night." Chad said going over to hug Troy.

"Custody arrangements may be easier with me moving to L.A.. I only stayed in San Francisco for Gabby's job. Being in L.A. will make it easier to record albums and do appearances. Which means less time in hotels and more time to do other things like hang out with Jackie and my friends.

"Are you guys friends again?" Sharpay asked as she walked into the gym barefoot carrying a broken shoe in her hand. "Because I was so not looking forward to Taylor been best man at my wedding. Chad really doesn't play well with other guys. You're like the only real guy friend he still has."

"What did you do Sharpay?" Chad asked Sharpay as he walked over to her.

"I don't know why you're worried, Gabriella is still breathing. Although she may need to get new extensions and a little dental work." Both he and Troy were looking at her as if she was completely crazy.

"Come on you know she deserved it. She broke one of my shoes. Does she have any idea how expensive these things are?"

"Probably, Considering I saw that brand on my credit card statement all the time. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault your stupid ex broke my shoe."

"I mean about everything. I'm sorry for not calling you when Chad told me I should have. I'm sorry for making you feel like a dirty little secret, when you weren't. I'm sorry for not realizing why you showed up at the studio more than four years ago. I'm sorry for not telling you that I loved you before it's too late.

"I did love you," Sharpay said as she started to cry

"I know, but you love Chad to. So do I, that's why this whole thing is so painful.

"I have no idea how to fix this." Sharpay said in a whisper

"We'll figure it out eventually" Chad said grabbing both of them into a hug.

"Don't you wish life had an instruction Manual?" Troy said to the others as they started walking out of the gym.

"If there were, I doubt that there would be a chapter on complicated romantic triangles and threesomes." Chad said to the others two, which earned him a slap from Sharpay,

"Come on Troy, I think there's someone you really want to meet she's currently at the hotel with the nanny. Seriously I can't believe Gabriella left you for a little kid."

"It was mutual, although at least I'm not being a little kid about the whole thing."

"Yet you are drinking yourself silly." Chad as they walked out the door of the gym

"I don't always have the best judgment." Both he and Sharpay were laughing hysterically at that comment.

**

* * *

**

Six months later

Sharpay stood in front the mirror as her sister in law helped her with her dress. Even though Ryan has been gone for nearly five years and Kelsey is now remarried she will always think of her as her sister in law. Ryan and Kelsey six year old daughter Chloe was currently playing with her Cousin Jackie on the couch.

"You look absolutely perfect. Doesn't your auntie look perfect." The little girl nodded excitedly.

"I wish she was here for this. We always talked about this day we were little and it just hurts that he's not here." Neither woman needed to elaborate on who they were talking about.

"I wish he was here to." Before her makeup to be ruined by tears, Sharpay heard a knock at the door. As soon as Troy walked into the room Jackie decided to use her favorite word

"Da Da" They gave up on the Uncle Troy thing about two months ago. Jackie considered both Troy and Chad to be her father. It probably would not be that unusual for Jackie to have two dads in kindergarten, they do live in Los Angeles. As far as the public is, concern Jackie is Troy's biological daughter because he offered to be sperm donor for his best friend and his fiancée when they were unable to conceive naturally.

Unfortunately, an extremely bitter and angry Gabriella decided to go around to every talk show claiming an affair between her and Troy. Her favorite part of the whole thing was being interviewed by Taylor for an MTV News exclusive. She applauded Taylor's acting abilities for keeping a straight face when Sharpay told her and all of America that she never had an affair with Troy behind her boyfriend's back. When the cameras were off Taylor just had to say, "That statement was only true because Chad knew the entire time."

"Is the bride ready?" Troy asked as he went over the pickup Jackie.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Sharpay said to both of them.

"I will leave you guys, so you can do the pre wedding talk. Come on Chloe we have to get ready to walk down the aisle." Kelsey said as she grabbed her niece from Troy.

"So are you here the talk me out of the wedding?" Sharpay said with a smile. It's amazing what six months of couples therapy can do for a relationship. Despite everything, the three of them were really in a good place right now. Although is it really couples therapy when three people are involved?

"If it was anyone else, probably. I know he loves you. However, I already spent the last 30 minutes threatening the groom with extreme bodily harm if he ever hurt you."

"You mean like you hurt me. "

"I'm sorry."

"Save it for therapy when we get back from the honeymoon. This is supposed to be a happy day. Are you sure you'll be ok with Jackie for two weeks by yourself?" Troy might be jackie's dad does she was still terrified about being away from their child for a significant amount of time.

"We'll be fine. So are you ready to become Mrs. Danforth?"

"More like Mrs. Evans – Danforth. Are you ready to give away the bride?" During the planning stage she relies she did not have anybody to walker down the aisle because both her dad and brother were gone. There was no way she was going to ask her stepfather to do it. She absolutely hated the man. Chad actually came up with the idea of Troy walking her down the aisle, claiming it was symbolic.

"I just need to do one thing first," before she knew it she felt his mouth on hers.

"You know I love you." Troy said to her after the kiss.

"I love you too. But I am marrying him."

"I know. I made my choice long ago."

"When you left me alone in the hotel room when I came to tell you about Jackie?"

"It was already too late by that time. You were already in love with him completely. I was just a reaction to your pain.

"No you were not," she was close to breaking into tears. If she had puffy eyes in the wedding photos she would blame him.

"I made my choice when I decided to make out with Gabriella in the pool and you decided to be with Chad completely in your suite many summers ago."

"I can't believe he actually told you that."

"Were best friends, we share everything."

"When it comes to you two, a truer statement has never been made. Although I can't believe little miss think she is perfect decided to crash my wedding with one of Chad's teammates. I completely freaked out when the wedding planner told me she was here. There's no way I'm letting her ruin my perfect day"

"Not just any teammate, a 18 year old rookie. I think she's doing this on purpose to get back at me because of Jackie."

"If your acting skills are still up to it, I have the perfect idea to get back at her during the reception." Sharpay said with an evil smirk.

"You are absolutely evil."

"You love every minute of it. Now, let's get me married."

"Lead the way," Troy said as he grabbed her arm.

* * *

Taylor was mentally prepared herself for a repeat of the high school reunion with Troy drinking himself throug a good bottle of bourbon. Due to work, she missed the rehearsal dinner the night before. Therefore her last minute substitution as best man came as a complete shock to her. She just assumed Troy couldn't deal with being in the wedding party. She just flew in from Tokyo this morning from a interview.

The truly shocking moment of the ceremony, other than Gabriella making out with an 18 year old the entire time, was Troy walking Sharpay down the aisle. She definitely didn't see that coming. Although the fact that Troy kissed her on the lips before handing her over to Chad or the fact that Chad stayed smiling the entire time pretty much told him that this relationship was still extremely complicated. Although the antics during the ceremony were nothing compared to what happened during the receiving line. She decided it would probably be best not to ask any questions. They are things you don't want to know about your ex boyfriend.

Currently Troy was playing with Jackie while the happy couple were dancing on the floor. He definitely seems happier than six months ago.

"You seem happy for someone who just watched the woman that he's in love with marry someone else. Then again judging by what happened during the receiving line maybe you guys have some sort of arrangement? There's more rumors going around the Internet about the three of you than anyone else. I'm friends with you guys and I'm not even sure what's true."

"It's not that unusual to kiss the bride at a wedding?"

"It is when you kiss the bride with tongue and then proceed to kiss the groom. You do realize that those photographs will be on every tabloid web page by the time we leave the wedding?" Even Taylor got some great shots, though most were Gabriella going into convulsions when Chad kissed Troy. That was going to be her new wallpaper.

"I just like to say for the record that he kissed me." Troy said with a laugh. "It looks like you get the true exclusive story. Superstar Troy Bolton decided to play a joke on his ex wife with his two oldest friends. Apparently, she lied about cheating on him with multiple people while they were married. It turns out she got more money in the divorce If they both were adulterers. The boy toys are her vengeance for "perceived" infidelities. Although maybe you should leave that last part out."

"Because it's completely untrue, we all know the infidelities were definitely not perceived. I'm going to take what you just said at face value and thank you for the exclusive. There just some things I don't want to know about my ex boyfriend and this is one of them."

"Consider that my thank you for waking me up to my stupidity six months ago. I decided to take you advice. You can't change the past, you can only move forward. If I knew then, what I know now I probably would've made a lot of different decisions. Then again Jackie wouldn't be here right now if I made different choices. So maybe the present circumstances aren't that bad."

"Answer me this though, if you really could go back in time and change one thing, what would you change? Inquiring minds want to know."

"I would have audition with Sharpay for the winter musical junior year instead of Gabriella. That way I would have gotten with Sharpay before everything started with her and Chad."

"Why so early, they didn't get together until college?" The look in troy's eyes told her differently.

"What you mean that the relationship started before college? Do you mean during the summer when Chad and I broke up before college started."

"It did happen in the summer, just not that one. Come on baby girl; let's go find mommy and your other daddy before Auntie Taylor kills us all."

"Troy Bolton answer me now, what are you talking about?"

"You said it earlier, there are just some things you don't want to know about your ex boyfriend. This is one of those things." Troy said as he disappeared into the crowd with Jackie.

* * *

A/N: I left the ending a bit open so it can be interpreted either as C/S with a very close friendship between everyone or T/C/S."


	10. Not That Kind of Girl T&T, S&C

I have decided that there will be only one more short story in this series after this one. That doesn't mean I don't appreciate those who read and review this collection. I'm going to do a follow-up called _I Take Request_. The rules are give me a song and two main characters and I will write a story. Although I will say this now, I cannot write happy Gabriella/Troy. I already have the request for the first story from the fabulous digigirl02, who always reviews my stories. The collection will probably begin sometime in December or January. Also for those of you who love Ugly Betty check out my new story Gossip Mode Style.

Title: Not That Kind of Girl

Warning strong language

Pairings Troy/Taylor with Mentions of Chad/Sharpay (it's a miracle. I'm writing a story where Sharpay isn't the focus."

Summary: Taylor McKessie has never been anybody Silly Ho, and she isn't gonna start with Troy Bolton. Even though she kind of wants to.

A/N: The Boston mentioned in this story is a neighborhood in Arlington Virginia with many restaurants and bars.

Inspired by Silly Ho by TLC

Disclaimer: If I owned High School Musical, I would have put Chad with Sharpay (with a fun Troy/Chad/Sharpay triangle), Taylor with Troy (eventually), and killed off Gabriella in the first film. Obviously, that didn't happen.

* * *

At 26, Taylor McKessie had the job of her dreams or so it seemed to those on the outside. She was a staffer in the office for the congressional representative from New Mexico. It seemed like a great job in the political world she always wanted to be a part of. Yet essentially, she spent her time writing papers that probably would never be read on issues that were not that important in the larger scheme of things. The more time she spent behind the curtain of politics, the less she ever wanted to live at 1400 Pennsylvania Avenue. After an absolutely horrible week where the bill they were backing failed to pass by two votes, Taylor just wanted to let go of everything. She purposely avoided all the clubs and bars around the Hill. Instead, she decided to go to a new club in Boston just off the Metro stop.

She allowed herself to be lost in the music for a moment as she danced in the crowd. She would be having more fun at the club if every single person there was not trying to get in her pants. So far, she heard every single horrible pickup line ever created from "can I have your number because I lost my number" to "can I tweet you". Her favorite moment so far was a person who tried to get her phone number as she was walking into the club. Like she was going to give her phone number to some random guy who hit some girls in the street from his broken down car. After 30 more minutes of stupid pickup line and roaming hands, she gave up and went to the bar. Of course as soon as she sat down another man was trying to get with her.

"Can I buy you drink?" asked a voice from behind her.

Without even turning around, she answered the annoying guy, "as I told the last six guys that asked, if I want a drink, I can buy one by myself. That is exactly what I'm going to do. Besides why on earth am I going to take a drink from a complete stranger?"

"But I'm not a complete stranger." The man said confidently.

"Let me guess you tried to sleep with me last week. I'm too good to fall for one of those stupid pickup lines. In case you forgot, I am not a silly ho and I don't screw random strangers in the coat room. If you want someone who will go down on you in the men's room, may I suggest the Ho in the black lace and nothing else. I'm sure she is looking for a sugar daddy." Taylor heard a laughed from the man.

"If all I wanted was sex, I'm sure I could do a lot better than that girl. I do have taste. For your information, I was still in New York last week finishing my last play. I am hurt you don't remember me. I mean high school wasn't that long ago and you did date my best friend for two years." At his words, she finally turned around to see him. Sure enough, it was Troy Bolton. She had not seen him sent spring break freshman year, where he and Gabriella broke up in high drama fashion. She occasionally called Gabriella who was going to law school at Harvard after taking a couple years off to be in the real world. Other than Gabby, she really didn't talk to anybody from high school nor did she want to.

"Troy?" Taylor stammered out his named as if it was a question.

"Pretty sure. Although my manager thinks I should go with a stage name."

"What are you doing in the beltway?"

"I am starting a new play here in a couple weeks. I thought I would come down early out check out possible apartments before rehearsals start next week. I can't decide if I want to live in the suburbs or go for the true DC experience."

"Take it from somebody who could barely afford an efficiency in a not so nice neighborhood when she moved to the region, go for Virginia."

"So what exactly are you doing in DC?" Troy asked her trying to make small talk.

"I'm a congressional aide for the representatives for our old district. I do lots of research and write lots of papers that probably will never actually be read. I feel like I work at a sausage factory. If you want to make a difference in the world, never come to Washington."

"Let me guess bad week at work."

"Absolutely horrible. I'm sure you're having more fun being on stage."

"I'm not exactly a marquee name like Ryan, but I get by. I have fun doing my job."

"Someone should. Ryan is a marquee name?" she decided to ask him a question. It was nice to actually have a conversation in here for once.

"Okay you must be really disconnected from everyone. Ryan won a Tony last year. He's considered one of the greatest stars on Broadway in the last 20 years." She definitely didn't expect to hear that.

"You're not jealous. You were used to being number one." She said snidely.

"I don't care. I never went into acting to be the star. I like my job."

"I guess you're not Sharpay." Taylor said as she took a small sip of her drink that the bartender laid in front of her.

"Even Sharpay is not Sharpay anymore." Troy said with a laugh as he ordered a rum and coke.

"So what exactly happened to our old nemesis? She was the one I expected to be the Broadway Star."

"I don't exactly consider her an enemy anymore. She is still in Albuquerque. She writes children's books under a pseudonym. Sharpay spends her days with her computer programmer husband and their two year old daughter Chanel."

"Only Sharpay would name her daughter after a brand name. Although why is she writing under a pseudonym. It was a lifelong goal to have her name in lights."

"Probably because she didn't want to be seen as Ryan Evans sister. Although considering she won the Newbury award last year, I don't think she cares anymore." As soon as he said Newbury award, she knew instantly what books Sharpay wrote.

"Are you telling me that _Tells from New Mexico _series written by Evan Danforth was actually written by Sharpay Evans? They can even keep those books stalked in the stores. How do you know this?"

"Unlike you I actually talk to some of the people I knew from high school." Troy said as he grabbed his drink from the bartender. "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"Maybe later. I'm just shocked that you actually stayed in contact the Sharpay." Taylor said as she consumed the last of her drink. She desperately wanted to try to keep this conversation on neutral ground. It would be very easy for her to fall for the Troy Bolton charm. A part of her really really wanted to.

"I have to, considering she's married to my best friend." That statement caused Taylor to spray the remnants of her drink all over the bar in shock.

"How the hell did that happen? They hated each other in high school."

"It was just one of those things that happen. They just fell together in college because they were the only ones left. Besides everyone knows there's a thin line between love and hate."

"They probably hooked up because she was an easy lay." Taylor said under her breath. Apparently, Troy chose to ignore her comment. They continued talking for another hour before Taylor realized she needed to leave if she wanted to take the metro back to her apartment.

"Because you are the only person I know here, maybe we can go to dinner sometime and catch up. Apparently you messed some really good stuff." He was giving her those eyes that made every girl at East High want to jump him back in the day. She wondered how many cheerleaders he attracted with those eyes in high school. Those eyes never worked on her. Except this time his smile was starting to work its way through her defenses. She was never that silly little girl who were short skirts and tried to screw every player on the team. That was Sharpay job. Apparently, she did a good job at it considering the girl married her ex boyfriend. Yet, still Taylor wondered what it would have been like to be with Troy.

"Maybe some other time." Taylor said getting up from the bar. "At least give me your number?" part of Taylor wanted to give him her number. A wicked part of her wanted to pull him in the ladies room and have her wicked way with him. She would do neither action.

"So I can wait for your call. I don't think so. I'll see you around. Although if you're still lonely try the girl in the red skirt." Taylor said with a laugh as she disappeared into the crowd before Troy could say anything.

* * *

On Monday, when Taylor dragged herself into the office her coworker Rebecca ran up to her with too much perkiness for a Federal employee.

"What did you do this weekend?" Rebecca asked instantly.

"The laundry, read a book, and got hit on by three complete strangers walking home from Shoppers. I think DC is the only place you can get hit on by random men walking home from the grocery store." She neglected to mention her searching for information about Troy on the Internet. Apparently what he said about not been a marquee name wasn't quite true. His new play just happened to be at the Kennedy center.

"You didn't go out." Asked Patricia, her other colleague.

"I went out to a new club Friday night. I left after I got tired of dealing with guys who kept trying to hook up with me." The truth was she ran away when she realized she was considering becoming another notch on Troy Bolton's bedpost.

"Did meet anybody nice?" Rebecca asked shyly.

"I ran into my ex boyfriend's best friend from high school. A very hot guy, who I haven't seen for seven years was flirting me the entire time. He's cute, but he is not my type." Both of the women gave her the 'I know you're lying' look.

"Nothing else happened?" Patricia asked her skeptically.

"I did find out that my ex is married to a girl that he tried to throw into a lake one time in high school."

"You're kidding?

"I wish I was. By the way, your daughter's favorite book was written by a girl who died her dog's hair pink in high school." Taylor said to Rebecca as she walked to of her desk.

"Something must have happened, considering the roses on your desk and the ticket to the Kennedy center for opening night of the next play. Although I didn't get the card," Patricia said quietly to Taylor.

As she walked to her desk, she noticed the gifts that must have came from Troy. She seriously wondered how he was able to get this stuff past security. There was just one ticket. She quickly open the card and heard TLC's old song _Silly Ho_ playing. The inside of the card said, "if I wanted a silly ho I would have one."

* * *

A/N: If you haven't figured it out I do live in the DC metro. Where, I won't say. Yes I have been hit on by complete strangers walking home from the grocery store. I don't know whether to find it flattering or disturbing. Due to a TSP violation by somebody in my building, I don't have Internet in my apartment complex right now, so I probably won't be replying to people individually this week.


	11. Don't Pay Him Any Attention S&C

This is the end of _I Come With My Own Background Music_. It's been fun. I like to thank everybody who has read or reviewed this collection of stories. To everyone who has added this story to their alerts or to their favorites I thank you at this time. I will probably be doing other musically inspired pieces down the road. There is also a chance that I may turn some of these short stories into full-length fics. If there is a particular story that you want to see a multi chapter story of let me know.

* * *

Title: Don't Pay Him Any Attention

Summary: What is a girl supposed to do when her boyfriend of three years leaves her? Practically have sex on the dance floor with her roommate.

Pairing: Past Zeke/Sharpay, Future Chad/Sharpay

Warning: Ex bashing with dirty jokes

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything including the song being used.**

Inspired by: Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It) by Beyoncé

I got gloss on my lips, a man on my hips  
Hold me tighter than my Dereon jeans  
Acting up, drink in my cup  
I could care less what you think  
I need no permission, did I mention  
Don't pay him any attention  
Cause you had your turn  
And now you gonna learn  
What it really feels like to miss me

* * *

Sharpay Evans sat between her roommate and her best friend Talia drowning her sorrows in copious amounts of alcohol. Sometimes fake IDs can be a wonderful thing. Her boyfriend of three years just broke up with her. However, he didn't just break up with her. He cheated on her with another woman. She couldn't decide if she was pissed, sad, or miserable.

She should be happy that her relationship lasted this long. Of all the relationships in her group from high school, she and Zeke lasted the longest. Her brother Ryan and Kelsey barely made it past thanksgiving of their freshman year. They realize they were meant to be just friends. Gabriella and Troy made it to spring break of their freshman year. They broke up because Gabriella decided to study abroad for a year without consulting Troy. Sharpay personally hope Gabriella met a nice person in Japan.

Chad and Taylor did not even last until the beginning of college. They actually broke up at Sharpay and Ryan's graduation party. The breakup was just as nasty as what happened with her and Zeke two days ago.

During freshman year, Chad dated Sharpay's roommate Talia. The relationship lasted just long enough for Chad and Sharpay not to hate each other anymore. Now Chad and Talia are just friends. Chad spent so much time in their dorm room freshman year that she and Chad did become the best of friends. They got along so well that her and Chad decided to share a two-bedroom apartment during their sophomore year.

"So exactly what do you do during a 'my boyfriend's an ass' venting session? Shouldn't we be consuming ice cream and chocolate? I'm usually the trigger of such a session, not a participant." Chad said as he took another drink of his beer.

"Like you ever triggered one of these venting sessions. That's the home remedy version. When a guy breaks up with you for another person after three years, junk food just won't cut it." Sharpay said as she took a long drink from her glass.

"Not even Godiva and _The Proposal_. I love that movie…I mean you love that movie." Chad said trying to cover. She could not help but laugh. Chad always made her feel better.

"Okay Sharpay just got you to admit to loving a chick flick. You two are so cute." Talia Said sarcastically. Sharpay knew that Talia was trying to push the two to be more than just friends.

"Shut up," Both Chad and Sharpay said at the exact same time as they threw napkins at her.

"Come on you know that you two would make a cute couple. You're both perfect for each other."

"Were just friends," Chad replied a little too quickly.

"Which is why I think you two would be great together. You are definitely not an ass like Zeke. You would never break her heart so badly that she needed to spend her evening getting completely wasted at a bar."

"The alcohol is working, but I think junk food may still be required. Please tell me we came to a bar that has a good selection of appetizers?" Sharpay asked hoping to get the conversation back on safer ground.

"The bar is known for their tapas." Chad said passing a menu to her.

"You're going to need the junk food. Guess who just walked in with Miss Ho 2010." Talia said pointing to Zeke and the tart of the week.

"Okay I'm going to need more alcohol and something absolutely horrible to eat." She was panicking until she felt Chad's hand take hers.

* * *

"I will go get the junk food and you two can move to stage two of the evening." Talia Said as she left the table.

"What is stage two?" Chad asked Sharpay as he finished his second beer of the evening. He cannot believe they talked him into doing this. All Sharpay had to do was smile and he would do whatever she asked. At least they were doing the club version of this ritual instead of eating cookie dough in front of the television.

"Stage two is when the ex bashing begins. We can also make snide jokes about the replacement girlfriend. Like the fact that her breast are obviously fake. Plus that outfit is so 2007 in a very trashy way. " He started laughing at her.

"Is this the time to mention that he was the smallest guy in the locker room?" It took Sharpay's alcohol consumed mind a few moments to figure out what he actually meant.

"That explains why my first time was horrible. I did not even… you know. I ended up finishing off in the bathroom. Actually, I always ended up finishing in the bathroom. " Chad started laughing hysterically.

"If you're old enough to have one, you should be able to say the word."

"I did not have one. That is the problem."

"Pay if a guy is good, sized really doesn't matter. If he knows what he is doing, you'd be screaming no matter what." He saw her cheeks go red at that. He had way too much fun messing with her.

"Obviously my ex had no idea what he was doing. Like everything else in our relationship. We had been together for three years and I thought we would live happily ever after. I guess happily ever after was not in the cards for me." Sharpay was starting to cry again. He hated seeing her cry. He quickly place one arm around her.

"You are too good for him. You are beautiful and smart. Any person would want you and not just for a one night stand. You will get your happily ever after when you find the right person." He was looking her in the eyes at this point. He was just inches from her gloss-covered lips. Part of him wanted so badly to move just a little closer, to place his lips on top of hers.

His voice of reason told him this was not right. He didn't want to throw away their friendship. There is also the fact that she was halfway to being wasted. In the morning, when she was sober she would probably beat the hell out of him for taking advantage of her. He needed to think of something quick to distract himself from doing something stupid, such as ravishing her in the men's room.

"Come dance with me. It will get your mind off of he who shall not be named," he said with a smile.

"I thought you don't dance?" she said with a laugh. He loved her laugh.

"I've been known to break that rule occasionally. Besides I believe your song is playing." Chad said as the first few beats of _Single Ladies_ started to play. Sharpay gave up and let Chad puller onto the dance floor. They both noticed Zeke giving them an "I want to kill you" look.

"Do you feel like moving on to part three of the evening?" Sharpay asked Chad as she started to dance.

"What would that be?" He whispered to her.

"Revenge" Sharpay whispered into his ear as she started to take Beyoncé's lyrics very literally. 15 seconds into dancing with Sharpay, he realized this was a very bad idea. He already almost kissed her once tonight. He still wanted to kiss her and now she was grinding against him. A man could only have so much self-control. He told himself that she was only doing this to make Zeke jealous. The fact that the man looks ready to kill Chad made it obvious that Sharpay's plan was working.

He felt Sharpay's mouth make contact with his neck as the song came to the last verse. The feel of her mouth on his skin made his entire body burned. Then he heard her say the last thing he ever expect to hear from her. "This isn't about Zeke." before he even had time to process her words, her mouth was on top of his. He instantly allowed her entrance. She tasted like the strawberry drink she was consuming earlier.

He knew he needed to pull away. Making out with your roommate/friend after a bad break up is not a good idea. Wanting to drag her into the nearest closet is an even worse ideal. The decision to pull away was made for him by Zeke's fist making contact with his jaw. He was on the floor in seconds. Sharpay was not happy.

"What the hell are you doing punching out Chad? You have no right. You broke up with me. You left me. Now you're upset because someone else likes me. Maybe you're upset by the fact I'm not shattered by your leaving. Go back to your ho. I don't need you. I'd don't want you. I definitely don't love you anymore. I am starting to wonder if I ever did love you. You only want me now because Chad has me." Sharpay said as she walked over to Chad.

"Sharpay," Zeke said to her in an almost pleading voice.

She did not respond. She just grabbed Chad's hand and walked out of the club with him.

* * *

45 Minutes later after the cab dropped them off at their apartment; Sharpay was holding an ice pack to Chad's Jaw. Neither one talked about what happened at the club before Zeke hit Chad. They both felt avoidance was the best course of action.

"I can't believe he hit you."

"I was making out with his ex girlfriend at a club."

"It still didn't give him a right to hit you. He broke up with me. As far as I'm concerned, I can do whatever I want."

"It was probably for the best." Chad whispered softly to himself. She still heard every word.

"What do you mean? I know you think the only reason why I kissed you was to make Zeke jealous. That couldn't be farther from the truth. I really do like you as more than just a friend." Sharpay said in a breathy whisper.

"We wear both drinking tonight."

"You had two beers and I have three drinks. Knowing Talia, she made the bartender give them to me with half the usual amount of alcohol. I'm thinking perfectly clearly at the moment". Sharpay said as she kissed him again. She absolutely loved the way his mouth felt against hers. This felt like coming home. She never felt this comfortable with another person before in her life.

"We cannot do this." Chad said in a breathy whisper to her.

"Why? It's obvious from here that you want to."

"Because we are friends."

"That just means we don't have to go through the awkward dating stage. No matter what happens will always be friends." Sharpay said grabbing his hand.

"This is just a rebound thing." She starred to laugh when he said that.

"If you really think about it, Zeke was the rebound. I just dated him to get over Troy. It's not my fault the relationship lasted three years." She said kissing him again. This time he didn't pull away.

"I can't lose you." He whispered against her lips.

"You won't." Sharpay said pulling away from him. "Let's make a deal. I'll sit here and watched _The Proposal _with you, because I know it is your favorite film. If I still feel the same way in the morning, you'll let things go at their natural pace."

"Deal, although _The Proposal_ is not my favorite film. Margaret just reminds me of you." Chad said as he kissed her on the forehead.

"You like a film just because one of the main characters reminds you of me. See this is why I know we will work out." Sharpay said as she placed her head in his lap like she normally did.

* * *

**Two years later**

During his senior year of college Zeke worked for a local catering company to help pay his way. He probably should've looked closer at the assignment list. Unfortunately, he didn't pay attention to what wedding he would be working at today. This was the last wedding he ever wanted to attend, even as a member of the kitchen staff.

If he were willing to risk his future culinary career, he would slip something that he knew Sharpay was allergic to into her entree. He was sure she would despise having to spend her honeymoon in the emergency room.

Adding insult to injury was Sharpay was marrying Chad Danforth. Zeke was positive Sharpay was cheating on him with Chad for the last year of their relationship. He never believed they were just friends. Even though they went to A of U, he had not seen either of them since the night at the club two years ago when he caught the two of them practically having sex on the dance floor.

In between the dinner entree and the desserts, Zeke decided to take a break outside. There he overheard a very interesting conversation between the wedding planner and her assistant.

"I can't believe they're actually going to use that song as their first dance. Thank god you got them to use a different song from the same artist," said the assistant to the wedding planner.

"It was a cute story though. Their first kiss was during that song. Apparently, her stupid ex boyfriend dumped her after three years. They decided to have a little fun by acting out the lyrics in that song. That's when they fell in love. If this was not a formal wedding, I would be okay with that song being used. But given the setting I feel _Halo_ works a lot better."

"I'm just glad this one was smart enough to 'put a ring on It'," Zeke started choking so badly on his water that he didn't hear the last part of their conversation.

* * *

A/N: since this is the end of this series, please take a moment to tell me what you think. If you still need at shadpay fix, check out my other story Scenes from Freshman Year. Don't worry I will be coming out with new projects after my other stories begin to wrap up.


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